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CKUSOE'S  ISLAND: 


A 

Enmhl*  in  tyi  /Butotqa  of  %insxkt  Iflkirk. 

WITH 

SKETCHES  OF  ADVENTURE 

IN 

CALIFORNIA  AND  WASHOE. 


BY  1.  ROSS  BROWNE, 

AUTHOR  OF 

"ETCHINGS  OF  A  WHALING  CRUISE,"  " YUSEF,"  &c. 


NEW  YORK: 

HARPER   &   BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS, 

FRANKLIN  SQUARE. 

-  18  67. 


By  J.  ROSS  BROWNE. 


AN  AMERICAN  FAMILY  IN  GERMANY.  Illustrated  by  the 
Author.    12mo,  Cloth,  $2  00. 

THE  LAND  OF  THOR.  Illustrated  by  the  Author.  12mo, 
Cloth,  $2  00. 

CRUSOE'S  ISLAND :  A  Ramble  in  the  Footsteps  of  Alexander 
Selkirk.  With  Sketches  of  Adventure  in  California  and  Washoe. 
Illustrations.    12mo,  Cloth,  $1  75. 

YUSEF;  or,  The  Journey  of  the  Frangi.  A  Crusade  in  the  East. 
With  Illustrations.    12mo,  Cloth,  $1  75. 


Published  by  HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  New  York. 


Eutered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  sixty-four  by  Harpek  &  Brothers,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of 
the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


CONTENTS. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 

CHAPTER  PAGK 

I.  THE  BOAT  ADVENTURE     9 

II.  FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  OF  THE  ISLAND   22 

III.  GOING  ASHORE   25 

IV.  CONDITION  OF  THE  ISLAND  IN  1849..   28 

V.  ROBINSON  CRUSOE'S  CAVE   37 

VI.   THE  VALLEY  ON  FIRE   48 

VII.  THE  CAVE  OF  THE  BUCCANEERS   54 

VIII.  LODGINGS  UNDER  GROUND   55 

IX.  COOKING  FISH   62 

X.   RAMBLE  INTO  THE  INTERIOR   71 

XI.   THE  VALLEY  OF  ENCHANTMENT   75 

XII.   A  STRANGE  DISCOVERY   77 

XIII.  THE   STORM  AND  ESCAPE   86 

XIV.  THE  AMERICAN  CRUSOE   91 

XV.  CASTLE  OF  THE  AMERICAN  CRUSOE   96 

XVI.  DIFFICULTY  BETWEEN  ABRAHAM  AND  THE  DOUBTER   99 

XVII.  THE  MURDER   106 

XVIII.  THE  SKULL  ,   112 

XIX.  THE  GOVERNOR'S  VISION   117 

XX.  THE  DOUBTER'S  DYSPEPTIC  STORY   120 

XXI.  BAD  DREAM  CONCERNING  THE  DOUBTER   123 

XXII.  THE  UNPLEASANT  AFFAIR  OF  HONOR   127 

XXIII.  DR.  STILLMAN'S  JOURNAL   142 

XXIV.  CONFIDENTIAL  CHAT  WITH  THE  READER   147 

XXV.  EARLY  VOYAGES  TO  JUAN  FERNANDEZ   151 

XXVI.  ALEXANDER  SELKIRK  AND  ROBINSON  CRUSOE   161 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 

I.   THE  CANNIBAL   167 

II.   THE  MIRAGE   172 

III.  A  DEATH  STRUGGLE   180 


iv 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAOB 

IV.   THE  OUTLAW'S  CAMP   189 

V.  THE  ESCAPE   201 

VI.   A  LONELY  RIDE   209 

VII.  THE  ATTACK   214 

VIII.   SAN  MIGUEL  .   222 

IX.  A  DANGEROUS  ADVENTURE   228 

X.  A  TRAGEDY   235 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 

I.  MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES   249 

II.  THE  GREAT  PORT  TOWNSEND  CONTROVERSY,  SHOWING  HOW 

WHISKY  BUILT  A  CITY   270 

III.  THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA   284 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


I.  INTRODUCTORY   309 

II.   START  FOR  WASHOE   322 

III.  ACROSS  THE  MOUNTAINS   350 

IV.  AN  INFERNAL  CITY   365 

V.   SOCIETY  OF  VIRGINIA  CITY   385 

VI.  ESCAPE  FROM  VIRGINIA  CITY   394 

VII.   MY  WASHOE  AGENCY   404 

VIII.    START  FOR  HOME   416 

IX.  ARRIVAL  IN  SAN  FRANCISCO   430 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


Map  of  Juan  Fernandez  Page  9 

Leaving  the  Ship   13 

Boat  in  a  Storm   16 

Struck  by  a  Flaw   18 

Shipwrecked  Sailor   19 

Juan  Fernandez   23 

Crusoe's  Castle  .     26 

Crusoe  at  Home   27 

Plan  of  the  Convict  Cells   23 

Convict  Cells....   30 

Chilian  Huts   31 

Walrus,  or  Sea  Lion   36 

Crusoe's  Cave   39 

A  Kelic  of  Crusoe   40 

Crusoe's  Devotions    41 

The  Valley  with  the  Cave  and  Cliff   42 

Dream-land  Crusoe   44 

Fairy  Cove   45 

Rescue  of  Friday   46 

Crusoe  asleep   48 

The  Californians  in  Juan  Fernandez   51 

Fishing   53 

Crusoe  and  his  Comrades   57 

Cooking  in  Juan  Fernandez   62 

The  Cliff   64 

Abraham  on  the  Peak   G<) 

The  Trogon   74 

The  Valley   70 

The  Skull    85 

The  American  Crusoe   92 

Tragic  Fate  of  the  Scotchman   107 

The  Lovers   109 

Grave  of  the  murdered  Man   Ill 

The  Doubter   1 21 

The  Footprint  in  the  Sand   124 

The  garage  Orgies     125 


Vi  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

The  Doubter  back  again  Page  133 

Swallowing  an  Island   140 

Dreams  and  Realities   145 

PeakofYonka   146 

Scenery  of  Juan  Fernandez   148 

Killing  Savages   149 

The  Author  a  la  Robinson  Crusoe   150 

Chilian  and  Chilienne   157 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 

Mirage  in  the  Salinas  Valley   168 

Pass  of  San  Juan   173 

Antelopes  in  the  Mirage   175 

Vulture  in  the  Mirage   176 

A  Duel  a  la  Mort   186 

The  Camp   192 

Jack   193 

A  lonely  Ride   210 

The  Attack   217 

San  Miguel   224 

A  Spanish  Caballero   226 

Valley  of  Santa  Marguerita   230 

Lassoing  a  Grizzly  T   233 

The  Belle  of  the  Fandango   239 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 

The  Duke  of  York,  Queen  Victoria,  and  Jenny  Lind   274 

The  Diggers  at  Home   285 

Out  in  the  Mountains   301 

Protecting  the  Settlers   305 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 

The  Bummer   311 

Going  to  Kern  River   312 

Returning  from  Kern  River   313 

Ho!  for  Frazer  River   315 

Returned  from  Frazer  River   318 

Hurrah  for  Washoe   321 

The  Agency   323 

"I  say,  Cap!"   326 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


vii 


Dollars  with  Spider  legs  (a  Dream)  Page  327 

"  Go  it,  Washoe !"   329 

The  Pocket  Pistol     331 

California  Stage-driver   333 

Whisky  below   334 

"Carambo!  Caraja — Sacramento! — Santa  Maria  ! — Diavolo  !"  335 

Board  and  Lodging   337 

Grindstones   339 

A  Speculator   341 

Dinner  at  Strawberry   345 

The  Lay-out   348 

The  Stocking-thief   349 

The  Trail  from  Strawberry   35 1 

"We  are  waiting  for  you"   354 

A  short  Cut    355 

Diogenes   358 

Carson  City   362 

The  Stage   369 

The  Devil's  Gate   371 

Virginia  City   .    373 

A  Question  of  Title   375 

"My  Claim,  Sir!"   377 

Gold  Hill   379 

San  Francisco  Speculators   380 

Assay  Office   381 

A  Fall   384 

The  Comstock  Lead   386 

The  Claims   389 

"Silver,  certain,  Sir"   391 

"  Indications,  sure !"     393 

An  old  Friend   399 

Carson  Valley   403 

Holding  on  to  it   405 

Mount  Ophir   407 

Croppings   408 

The  Flowery  Diggings   409 

Honest  Miner   410 

"A  gloomy  Prospect"   411 

Return  from  Washoe   417 

Outgoing  and  Incoming   419 

The  Jew's  Boots   421 

Snow  Slide   424 

The  Grade       427 

Return  to  San  Francisco   433 

Reading  extra  Bulletin   436 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE  BOAT  ADVENTURE. 


MAP  OP  JUAN  FERNANDEZ. 


My  narrative  dates  as  far  back  as  the  early  part  of 
the  year  1849.  Then  the  ship  Anteus  was  a  noted  vessel. 
Many  were  the  strange  stories  told  of  strife  and  discord 
between  the  captain  and  the  passengers ;  pamphlets  were 
published  giving  different  versions  of  the  facts,  and  some 
very  curious  questions  of  law  were  involved  in  the  charges 
made  by  both  parties.  It  appeared  from  the  statement 
of  the  passengers,  who  were  for  the  most  part  intelligent 
and  respectable  Americans,  that,  on  the  voyage  of  the 
Anteus  to  California,  their  treatment  by  the  captain  was 
cruel  and  oppressive  in  the  extreme  ;  that,  before  they 
were  three  weeks  from  port,  he  had  reduced  them  almost 
to  a  state  of  absolute  starvation;  and,  in  consequence  of 
the  violence  of  his  conduct,  which,  as  they  alleged,  was 
without  cause  or  provocation  on  their  part,  they  consid- 
ered their  lives  endangered,  and  resolved  upon  making 


LO 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


an  appeal  for  his  removal  at  the  port  of  Rio.  On  the  ar- 
rival of  the  vessel  at  Rio  the  captain  was  arraigned  be- 
fore the  American  consul,  and  pronounced  to  be  insane 
by  the  evidence  of  six  physicians  and  by  the  testimony 
of  a  large  majority  of  the  passengers.  It  was  charged, 
on  the  other  hand,  that  the  passengers  were  disorderly, 
mutinous,  and  ungovernable ;  that  they  had  entered  into 
a  conspiracy  against  the  captain,  and  in  testifying  to  his 
insanity  were  guilty  of  perjury.  The  examination  of  the 
case  occupied  several  weeks  before  the  American  consul ; 
voluminous  testimony  was  taken  on  both  sides ;  the  ques- 
tion was  submitted  to  the  American  minister,  to  the  Brit- 
ish consul,  and  to  the  principal  merchants  of  Rio,  all  of 
whom  concurred  in  the  opinion  that,  under  the  circum- 
stances, there  was  but  one  proper  course  to  pursue,  which 
was,  to  remove  the  captain  from  the  command  of  the  ves- 
sel. He  was  accordingly  deposed  by  the  American  con- 
sul, and  a  new  captain  placed  in  the  command.  This  was 
regarded  by  the  principal  merchants  of  New  York  as  an 
arbitrary  exercise  of  authority,  unwarranted  by  law  or 
precedent,  and  a  memorial  was  addressed  by  them  to  the 
President  of  the  United  States  for  the  removal  of  the  con- 
sul. A  new  administration  had  just  come  into  power; 
and  the  consul  was  removed,  ostensibly  on  the  ground 
of  the  complaints  made  against  him ;  but,  inasmuch  as 
some  few  other  officers  of  the  government  were  removed 
at  the  same  time  without  such  ground,  it  may  be  inferred 
that  a  difference  in  political  opinion  had  some  weight 
with  the  administration. 

It  is  not  my  intention  now  to  go  into  any  argument  in 
regard  to  the  merits  of  this  case ;  the  time  may  come 
when  justice  will  be  done  to  the  injured,  and  it  remains 
for  higher  authority  than  myself  to  mete  it  out.  I  have 
simply  to  acknowledge,  with  a  share  of  the  odium  rest- 
ing upon  me,  that  I  was  one  of  the  rebellious  passengers 
in  the  Anteus.  My  companions  in  trouble  so  far  hon- 
ored me  with  their  confidence  as  to  give  me  charge  of 
the  case.    I  was  unlearned  in  law,  yet  possessed  some 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


J  1 


experience  in  sea-life ;  and  believing  tbat  the  lives  of  all 
on  board  depended  upon  getting  rid  of  a  desperate  and 
insane  captain,  aided  to  the  best  of  my  ability  in  having 
a  new  officer  placed  in  the  command.  To  the  change 
thus  made,  unforeseen  in  its  results,  I  owe  my  eventful 
visit  to  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez. 

It  was  the  intention  of  our  first  captain  to  touch  at 
Valparaiso  for  a  supply  of  fresh  provisions.  In  the  ship's 
papers  this  was  the  only  port  designated  on  the  Pacific 
side  except  San  Francisco.  Our  new  commander,  Cap- 
tain Brooks,  assumed  the  responsibility  of  leaving  the 
choice  between  Valparaiso  and  another  port  to  the  pas- 
sengers. It  was  put  to  the  vote,  and  decided  that  we 
should  proceed  to  Callao,  so  that  we  might  pass  in  sight 
of  Juan  Fernandez,  and  have  an  opportunity  of  visiting 
Lima,  "  the  City  of  the  Kings." 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  of  May,  1849,  we 
made  the  highest  peak  of  Massa  Tierra,  bearing  N.N.W., 
distant  seventy  miles.  The  weather  was  mild  and  clear. 
As  the  sun  rose,  it  fell  calm,  and  the  ship  lay  nearly  mo- 
tionless. A  light  blue  spot,  scarce  bigger  than  a  hand- 
spike, was  all  that  appeared  in  the  horizon.  It  might 
have  passed  for  a  cloud  but  for  the  distinctness  of  its 
outline.  Weary  of  the  gales  we  had  encountered  off 
Cape  Horn,  it  was  a  pleasant  thing  to  see  a  spot  of  earth 
once  more,  and  there  was  not  a  soul  on  board  but  felt  a 
desire  to  go  ashore.  For  some  days  past,  myself  and  a 
few  others  had  talked  secretly  among  ourselves  about 
making  the  attempt  in  case  we  went  close  enough ;  but 
now  there  seemed  to  be  every  prospect  of  a  long  calm, 
and  we  took  it  for  granted  the  captain  would  clap  on  all 
sail  if  we  took  the  trades.  There  was  no  other  chance 
but  to  lower  one  of  the  boats  and  row  seventy  miles.  A 
party  of  us  agreed  to  do  this,  provided  we  could  get  a 
boat.  The  ship's  boats  we  knew  it  would  be  impossible 
to  get  without  permission  of  the  captain,  and  that  we 
were  not  willing  to  ask.  Mr.  Brigham,  a  fellow-passen- 
ger, was  owner  of  one  of  the  quarter -boats.  We 


12 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


broached  tlie  matter  to  him,  and  he  gladly  joined  in  the 
adventure,  together  with  his  partner  and  some  friends, 
so  that  we  made  in  all  a  very  pleasant  party  of  eleven. 
The  proper  number  of  men  for  the  boat  was  six,  but  in 
consideration  of  the  great  distance  and  the  necessity  of 
a  change  at  the  oars,  five  more  were  crowded  in.  We 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  rowing  about  the  vessel  when- 
ever it  was  calm,  and  this  we  thought  would  be  a  good 
excuse  for  lowering  the  boat.  Being  in  great  haste,  lest 
the  captain  should  object  to  letting  us  go,  we  only 
thought  of  a  few  necessary  articles  in  case  we  should  be 
cast  away  or  driven  off  from  the  island.  Two  small 
demijohns  of  water,  a  few  biscuits,  a  piece  of  dried  beef, 
and  some  cheese  and  crackers  comprised  our  entire  stock 
of  provisions ;  and  for  nautical  instruments  we  had  only 
a  lantern  and  a  small  pocket  compass.  Not  knowing  but 
there  might  be  outlaws  or  savages  ashore  who  might 
undertake  to  murder  us,  we  armed  ourselves  with  a 
double-barreled  gun,  a  fusee,  and  an  old  harpoon,  which 
was  all  we  could  smuggle  into  the  boat  in  the  excitement 
of  starting.  Captain  Brooks  happening  to  come  on  deck, 
perceived  that  there  was  something  unusual  going  on, 
and,  suspecting  our  design,  took  occasion  to  warn  us  of 
the  folly  of  such  an  expedition.  At  the  same  time,  think- 
ing there  was  more  bravado  than  reality  about  it,  he 
laughed  good-humoredly  when  we  acknowledged  that 
we  were  going  ashore.  "  Be  sure,"  said  he,  as  we  went 
over  the  side,  "  not  to  forget  the  peaches.  You  will  find 
plenty  of  them  up  in  the  valleys.  Only  don't  lose  sight 
of  the  vessel.  You  may  exercise  yourselves  as  much  as 
you  please,  but  keep  the  royals  above  water,  whatever 
you  do.  Bear  in  mind  that  you  are  more  than  seventy 
miles  from  that  peak !"  We  promised  him  that  we  would 
take  care  of  ourselves,  and  come  back  safe  in  case  we 
were  not  foundered. 

At  9  A.M.  we  bade  our  friends  good-by,  and  with 
three  cheers  pushed  off  from  the  ship.  The  boat  was 
only  twenty-two  feet  long  and  an  eighth  of  an  inch  thick  : 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


13 


it  was  made  of  sheet-iron,  and  was  very  narrow  and  crank. 
Most  of  us,  except  myself  and  a  whaleman  named  Pax- 
ton,  were  unused  to  rowing,  so  that  the  prospect  of  reach- 
ing land  depended  a  good  deal  upon  the  day  remaining 
calm,  and  upon  keeping  the  boat  trimmed,  the  gunwales 
being  only  ten  inches  out  of  the  water. 


LEAVING  THE  SUIP. 


There  was  no  excuse  for  this  risk  of  life,  save  that  in- 
satiable thirst  for  novelty  which  all  experience  to  some 
extent  after  the  monotony  of  a  long  voyage.  I  will  only 
say,  in  regard  to  myself,  that  I  was  too  full  of  joy  at  the 
idea  of  a  ramble  in  the  footsteps  of  Robinson  Crusoe  to 
think  of  risk  at  all.  If  there  was  danger,  it  merely  served 
to  give  zest  to  the  adventure. 

By  a  calculation  of  the  distance  and  our  rate  of  going, 
we  expected  to  reach  the  land  by  sundown  or  soon  after ; 
and  then  our  plan  was  to  make  a  tent  of  the  boat-sail, 
and  sleep  under  it  till  morning,  when  by  rising  early  we 
thought  we  could  take  a  run  over  the  island,  and  perhaps 
sret  some  fruit  and  vegetables.    By  that  time,  should  a 

A* 


14 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


light  breeze  spring  up  during  the  night,  we  thought  it 
likely  the  ship  would  be  well  up  by  the  land,  and  we 
could  pull  out  and  get  on  board  without  difficulty.  Be- 
fore long  we  found  that  distances  are  very  deceptive  in 
these  latitudes  where  the  atmosphere  is  so  clear  ;  for  not- 
withstanding the  statement  of  the  captain  that  by  the 
reckoning  we  were  seventy  miles  from  land,  we  believed 
that  he  only  told  us  so  to  deter  us  from  going,  and  that 
we  were  not  much  more  than  half  that  distance.  In  row- 
ing we  made  a  division  of  our  number,  taking  turns  or 
watches  of  an  hour  each  at  the  oars,  so  as  to  share  the 
labor.  Once  fairly  under  way,  with  a  smooth  sea  and  a 
pleasant  day  before  us,  we  became  exceedingly  merry  at 
the  expense  of  our  fellow-passengers  whom  we  had  left 
in  the  ship  to  drift  about  in  the  calm,  and  it  afforded  us 
much  diversion  to  think  how  they  would  be  disappointed 
upon  finding  that  we  were  in  earnest  about  going  ashore. 
Before  long  we  had  cause  to  wish  ourselves  back  again 
in  the  ship,  which  goes  to  prove  that  apparently  the  most 
unfortunate  are  often  less  so  than  those  who  seem  to  be 
favored  by  circumstances. 

At  noon  we  took  a  lunch,  and  refreshed  ourselves  with 
a  drink  of  water  all  round.  We  had  also  a  good  supply 
of  cigars,  which  we  smoked  with  great  relish  after  our 
pull ;  and  I  think  there  never  was  a  happier  set  than  we 
were  for  the  time.  Still  there  was  but  a  single  peak  on 
the  horizon.  It  was  blue  and  dim  in  the  distance,  and 
apparently  not  much  higher  than  when  we  saw  it  from 
the  mast-head,  from  which  we  inferred  that  there  must 
be  a  current  setting  against  us.  The  Anteus  was  hull 
down,  yet  we  seemed  as  far  from  the  land  as  when  we 
started. 

A  ripple  beginning  to  show  upon  the  water,  we  hoist- 
ed our  sail  to  catch  the  breeze,  and  found  that  it  helped 
us  one  or  two  knots  an  hour.  With  songs  and  anecdotes 
we  passed  the  time  pleasantly  till  3  P.M.,  when  we  en- 
tirely lost  sight  of  the  vessel.  Paxton,  the  whaleman, 
now  stood  up  in  the  boat  to  take  an  observation  of  the 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


15 


land.  There  were  a  few  more  peaks  in  sight ;  the  mid- 
dle peak,  which  was  the  first  we  made,  began  to  loom  up 
very  plainly,  showing  a  flat  top.  It  was  the  mountain 
called  Yonka,  which  is  said  to  be  three  thousand  feet 
high.  We  were  apparently  forty  miles  yet  from  the 
nearest  point ;  and  the  sun  setting  here  in  May  at  a  little 
after  five,  we  began  to  feel  uneasy  concerning  the  weath- 
er, which  showed  signs  of  a  change.  All  of  us,  having 
gone  so  far,  were  in  favor  of  keeping  on,  though  in  secret 
we  thought  there  was  a  good  deal  of  danger.  At  sunset 
we  took  another  observation.  The  land  had  risen  quite 
over  the  water  from  end  to  end,  and  we  hoped  to  reach 
it  in  about  three  hours.  It  is  true  none  of  us  knew  any- 
thing about  the  shores,  whether  they  abounded  in  bays 
or  not,  and  if  so  where  any  safe  place  of  landing  could 
be  found,  which  made  us  doubtful  how  to  steer.  Clouds 
were  gathering  all  over  the  horizon ;  a  few  stars  shone 
out  dimly  overhead,  and  the  shades  of  night  began  to 
cover  the  island  as  with  a  shroud.  Swiftly,  yet  with  re- 
sistless power,  the  clouds  swept  over  the  whole  sky,  and 
the  horizon,  in  all  the  grandeur  of  its  vast  circle,  was  lost 
in  the  shades  of  night.  No  sail  was  near ;  no  light  shone 
upon  us  now  but  the  dim  rays  of  a  few  solitary  stars 
through  the  rugged  masses  of  clouds ;  no  sound  broke 
upon  the  listening  ear  save  the  weary  stroke  of  our  oars: 
a  gloom  had  settled  upon  the  mighty  wilderness  of  wa- 
ters, and  we  were  awed  and  silent,  for  we  knew  that  the 
spirit  of  God  was  there,  and  darkness  was  his  secret 
place ;  that  "  his  pavilion  round  about  him  were  dark 
waters  and  thick  clouds  of  the  skies." 

One  large  black  mass  of  clouds  rose  up  on  the  weather 
quarter ;  a  low  moaning  came  over  the  sea,  and  the  air 
became  suddenly  chill,  and  the  waters  rippled  around  us, 
and  were  tossed  about  by  the  unseen  Power,  and  we 
trembled,  for  we  beheld  the  coming  of  the  storm  that 
was  soon  to  burst  upon  us  in  all  the  majesty  of  its  wrath. 
For  a  while  there  was  the  stillness  of  death ;  then  "  the 
Lord  thundered  in  the  heavens,  and  the  Highest  gave  his 


L6 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


voice,"  and  out  of  the  darkness  came  the  storm.  In  fierce 
and  sudden  gusts  it  came,  terrible  in  its  resistless  might ; 
lashing  the  sea  into  a  white  foam,  tossing  and  whirling 
overhead,  with  its  thousand  arms  outstretched ;  grasping 
up  the  waters  as  it  raged  over  the  deep,  and  scourging 
them  madly  through  the  air,  while  it  moaned  and  shrieked 
like  the  dread  spirit  of  desolation. 


BOAT  IN  A  STORM. 


Every  one  of  us  cowered  down  in  the  boat  to  keep  her 
balanced.  The  spray  washed  over  us  fearfully,  and  the 
sail  shook  so  in  the  wind,  having  let  go  all,  that  we 
thought  it  would  tear  the  mast  out.  At  this  time  we 
were  about  three  leagues  from  the  S.E.  end  of  the  island, 
which  was  the  nearest  point  then  in  sight.  As  the  cloud 
spread  by  the  attraction  of  the  land,  the  whole  island  be- 
came wrapped  in  a  dark  shroud  of  mist,  and  in  half  an 
hour  we  could  discern  nothing  but  the  gloom  of  the 
storm  around  us,  as  we  bore  down  toward  the  darkest 
part  on  the  lea.  Our  lamp  was  now  quenched  by  a  heavy 
sea,  and  being  unable  to  distinguish  the  points  of  the 
compass,  we  were  fearful  we  should  miss  the  island  and 
be  carried  off  so  far  that  we  could  never  reach  it  again. 
Whenever  there  was  a  lull  we  tried  to  haul  in  our  sheet, 
but  a  sudden  flaw  striking  us  once,  the  boat  lay  over 
till  she  buried  her  gunwales,  and  the  sea  broke  heavily 
over  her  lee  side,  and  the  crew  at  the  same  time  spring- 
ing in  a  body  to  the  weather  side,  to  balance  her,  brought 
her  over  suddenly,  so  that  it  was  a  miracle  we  were  not 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


capsized,  which,  had  it  happened  so  far  out  at  sea  in  the 
darkness,  would  have  made  an  end  of  us.  Indeed,  it  was 
as  much  as  we  could  do,  by  baling  continually,  to  keep 
her  afloat,  and  every  moment  we  expected  to  be  buried 
in  a  watery  grave.  For  the  reason  that  we  feared  the 
tide  or  current  which  set  against  us  might  carry  us  off 
beyond  reach  of  the  land,  we  kept  up  our  sail  as  long  as 
we  could,  thinking  that  while  we  made  headway  toward 
the  lee  of  the  island  we  increased  our  chance  of  safety. 
Moreover,  we  knew  it  was  four  hundred  miles  to  the 
coast  of  Chili,  and  we  had  neither  water  nor  provisions 
left.  At  best  our  position  was  perilous.  Ignorant  of 
the  bearings  of  the  harbor,  we  were  at  a  loss  what  to  do 
even  if  we  should  be  able  to  reach  the  lee  of  the  island, 
for  we  had  seen  that  it  was  chiefly  rock-bound  and  inac- 
cessible to  boats. 

About  2  A.M.,  as  well  as  we  could  judge,  we  found  our- 
selves close  in  under  the  lee  of  a  high  cliff,  upon  the  base 
of  which  the  surf  broke  with  a  tremendous  roar.  Some 
three  or  four  of  the  party,  reckless  of  the  consequences, 
were  in  favor  of  running  straight  in,  and  attempting  to 
gain  the  shore  at  all  hazards.  The  more  prudent  of  us 
protested  against  the  folly  of  this  course,  well  knowing 
that  we  would  be  capsized  in  the  surf  and  dashed  to 
pieces  on  the  rocks.  Here  we  found  the  evils  of  having 
too  many  masters  in  an  adventure  of  this  kind,  where 
every  man  who  had  a  will  of  his  own  seemed  disposed 
to  use  it.  However,  by  mild  persuasion,  we  adjusted  the 
difficulty,  and  agreed  to  continue  on  under  the  lee,  where 
we  were  sheltered  in  some  degree  from  the  gale,  till  we 
should  hit  upon  some  safe  harbor,  if  such  there  was  upon 
the  island.  The  boat  was  our  only  resource  in  case  of 
being  left  ashore,  and  all  admitted  the  necessity  of  pre- 
serving it  as  long  as  possible.  If  we  found  no  harbor, 
we  could  lie  off  a  short  distance  and  wait  till  daylight. 
This  plan  was  so  reasonable  that  none  could  object  to  it. 
As  soon  as  we  were  well  in  by  the  shore,  where  the  gale 
was  cut  off  by  the  mountains,  we  had  a  light  eddy  of  air 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


ill  our  favor,  which  induced  us  to  keep  up  our  sail.  We 
soon  found  the  danger  of  this.  A  strong  flaw  from  a  gap 
in  the  land  struck  us  suddenly,  and  would  have  capsized 


STRUCK   UY   A  FLAW. 


us  had  we  not  let  go  every  thing,  and  clung  to  the  weath- 
er gunwale  till  it  was  over,  when  we  quickly  pulled  down 
the  sail  and  took  to  the  oars. 

We  could  see  nothing  on  our  starboard  but  the  wild 
seas  as  they  rolled  off  into  the  darkness ;  on  our  larboard, 
a  black  perpendicular  wall  of  rocks  loomed  up  hundreds 
of  feet  high,  reaching  apparently  into  the  clouds.  Some- 
times a  part  of  the  outline  came  out  clear,  with  its  rugged 
pinnacles  against  the  sky,  and  now  and  then  a  fearful 
gorge  opened  up  as  we  coasted  along,  through  which  the 
wind  moaned  dismally.  It  was  a  very  wild  and  awful 
place  in  the  dead  of  night,  being  so  covered  with  dark- 
ness that  we  scarce  knew  where  we  steered,  or  how  soon 
we  might  be  dashed  to  pieces  in  the  surf.  Once  in  a 
while  we  stopped  to  listen,  thinking  we  heard  voices  on 
the  shore,  but  it  was  only  the  moaning  of  the  tempest 
upon  the  cliffs,  and  the  frightful  beating  of  the  surf  below. 
We  seemed  almost  to  be  able  to  touch  the  black  and  rug- 
ged wall  of  rocks  that  stood  up  out  of  the  sea,  and  the 
shock  of  the  returning  waves  so  jarred  the  boat  at  times 
that  we  clung  to  the  thwarts,  and  believed  we  were  sure- 
ly within  the  jaws  of  death.  As  the  voices  died  away 
•vhich  we  thought  came  out  from  the  cliffs  there  was  a 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


19 


lull  in  the  storm,  and  nothing  but  the  wail  of  the  surf 
could  be  heard,  sounding  very  sad  and  lonesome  in  gloom 
of  night.  It  was  a  dreary  and  perpetual  dirge  for  the 
ill-fated  mariners  who  were  buried  upon  that  inhospita- 
ble shore ;  a  death-moan  that  forever  rises  out  of  the  deep 
for  the  souls  that  are  lost,  and  the  hearts  that  can  never 
be  united  with  those  that  love  them  upon  earth  again.  I 
thought  how  well  it  was  writ  by  the  poet — 

"Oh,  Solitude!  where  are  the  charms 
That  sages  have  seen  in  thy  face  ? 
Better  dwell  in  the  midst  of  alarms. 
Than  reign  in  this  horrible  place." 


SHIPWRECKED  SAILOE. 


Having  pulled  about  twelve  miles  along  the  shore  from 
Goat  Island,  where  we  first  got  under  the  lee,  and  seeing 
no  sign  of  a  cove  or  harbor,  we  began  to  despair  of  get- 
ting ashore  before  daylight.  In  this  extremity,  Abraham, 
a  ship-neighbor  of  mine,  succeeded  in  lighting  the  lantern 
again,  which  he  held  out  in  his  hand  from  the  bow,  hop- 
ing thereby  to  cast  a  light  upon  the  rocks,  that  we  might 
grope  out  our  way  and  reach  some  place  of  safety ;  but 
it  only  seemed  to  make  the  darkness  thicker  than  it  was 
before.  We  therefore  concluded  it  was  best  to  pull  on 
till  we  rounded  a  point  some  few  miles  ahead,  where  we 
thought  there  might  be  a  cove.  So  we  put  out  the  light 
and  got  Paxton  to  go  in  the  bow  as  a  look-out,  he  being 
the  most  keen-sighted,  from  the  habit  of  looking  from 


20  CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 

the  mast-head  for  whales.  On  turning  the  point  we 
were  startled  by  a  loud  cry  of  "  Light,  ho !"  Every 
body  turned  to  see  where  it  appeared.  It  was  close 
down  by  the  water,  about  three  miles  distant,  within  a 
spacious  cove  that  opened  upon  us  as  we  turned  the  point. 
Paxton's  quick  eye  had  descried  it  the  moment  we  hove 
round  the  rock.  Greatly  rejoiced  by  this  discovery,  we 
pulled  ahead  with  a  good  will  and  rapidly  bore  down 
toward  the  light. 

Chilled  through  with  the  sharp  gusts  from  the  mount- 
ains, wet  with  spray,  and  very  hungry,  we  congratulated 
ourselves  that  there  were  still  inhabitants  on  the  island, 
and  we  could  not  but  think  they  would  give  us  something 
to  eat,  and  furnish  us  with  some  place  of  shelter.  Cap- 
tain Brooks  had  told  us  that  he  had  been  here  several 
times  in  a  whaler ;  that  sometimes  people  lived  upon  the 
island  from  the  coast  of  Chili,  and  sometimes  it  was  en- 
tirely deserted.  The  Chilians  who  frequented  this  lonely 
island  we  knew  to  be  a  very  bad  set  of  people,  chiefly 
convicts  and  outcasts,  who  would  not  hesitate  to  rob  and 
murder  any  stranger  whom  misfortune  or  the  love  of  ad- 
venture might  cast  in  their  power.  Pirates,  also,  had  fre- 
quented its  bays  from  the  time  of  the  buccaneers ;  and  it 
was  a  question  with  us  whether  the  light  was  made  by 
these  outlaws,  or  by  some  unfortunate  shipwrecked  sail- 
ors or  deserters  from  some  English  or  American  whale- 
ship.  The  better  to  provide  against  danger,  we  loaded 
our  two  guns,  and  placed  them  in  the  bow,  as  also  the 
harpoon  ;  upon  which  we  steered  for  the  light.  All  of  a 
sudden  it  disappeared,  as  if  quenched  by  water.  This 
was  a  new  source  of  trouble.  What  could  it  mean? 
There  was  no  doubt  we  had  all  seen  it.  The  early  voy- 
agers had  often  seen  strange  lights  at  night  on  the  tops 
of  the  mountains,  which  they  attributed  to  supernatural 
causes ;  but  this  was  close  down  by  the  water,  and  was 
too  well  defined  and  too  distinctly  visible  to  us  all  either 
to  be  a  supernatural  visitation  or  the  result  of  some  vol- 
canic eruption.    While  we  lay  upon  our  oars  wondering 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


21 


what  it  meant,  it  again  appeared,  brighter  than  before. 
Now,  if  the  inhabitants  were  not  pirates  or  freebooters, 
why  did  they  pursue  this  mysterious  conduct  ?  We  sus- 
pected that  they  heard  our  oars,  and  had  lit  a  fire  on  the 
beach  to  guide  us  ashore ;  but  if  they  wanted  us  to  land 
in  the  right  place,  why  did  they  put  out  the  light  and 
start  it  up  again  so  strangely  ?  For  half  an  hour  it  con- 
tinued thus  to  disappear  and  reappear  at  short  intervals 
in  the  same  mysterious  way,  for  which  none  of  us  could 
account. 

It  being  now  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  we 
felt  so  cast  down  by  fatigue  and  dread  of  death,  that  we 
decided  to  run  in  at  all  hazards,  and,  if  necessary,  make 
our  way  through  the  breakers.  All  hands  fell  to  upon 
the  oars,  and  soon  the  light  bore  up  again  close  on  by  the 
head.  Paxton,  who  was  in  the  bowT,  quickly  started  up, 
and  began  peering  sharply  through  the  gloom.  "  What's 
that  ?"  said  he :  "  look  there,  my  lads.  I  see  something 
black ;  don't  you  see  it — there,  on  the  larboard — it  looks 
to  me  like  the  hull  of  a  ship!  Pull, my  lads,  pull!"  and 
so  all  gave  way  with  a  will,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  tall 
masts  of  a  vessel  loomed  up  against  the  sky  within  a 
hundred  yards  !  I  shall  never  forget  the  joy  of  the  whole 
party  at  that  sight.  The  light  which  we  had  seen  came 
from  a  lamp  that  swung  in  the  lower  rigging,  and  though 
the  ship  might  be  a  Chilian  convict  vessel,  or  some  other 
craft  as  little  likely  to  give  us  a  pleasant  reception,  yet 
we  were  too  glad  to  think  of  that,  and  straightway 
pulled  up  under  her  stern  and  hailed  her.  For  a  mo- 
ment there  was  a  pause  as  our  voices  broke  upon  the 
stillness ;  then  there  was  a  stir  on  deck,  and  a  voice  an- 
swered us  in  clear  sailor-like  English,  "Boat  ahoy !  where 
are  you  from  ?"  "  The  ship  Anteus,"  said  we,  "  bound 
for  "California ;  what  ship  is  this  ?"  "  The  Brooklyn,  of 
New  York,  bound  for  California.    Come  on  board !" 

No  longer  able  to  suppress  our  joy,  we  gave  vent  to 
three  hearty  cheers — cheers  so  loud  and  genuine  that  they 
swept  over  the  waters  of  Juan  Fernandez,  and  went  roll- 


22 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


ing  up  the  valleys  m  a  thousand  echoes.  In  less  than 
five  minutes  we  were  all  on  deck,  thankful  for  our  provi- 
dential deliverance  from  the  horrors  of  that  eventful  night. 


CHAPTER  II. 

FIKST  IMPKESSIONS  OF  THE  ISLAND. 

The  decks  of  the  Brooklyn  presented  a  strange  and 
half-savage  scene.  Most  of  the  passengers,  aroused  from 
their  sleep  by  the  shouts  of  the  officers  and  crew,  had 
rushed  upon  deck  nearly  naked,  and  quite  at  a  loss  to 
know  what  had  happened.  While  we  were  answering 
some  of  their  questions,  Captain  Richardson,  the  master, 
pushed  his  way  through  the  crowd  and  asked  what  all 
the  noise  was  about.  We  speedily  explained  how  we 
had  left  the  Anteus  seventy  miles  out  at  sea,  and  how, 
through  the  aid  of  Providence,  we  had  made  our  way 
into  the  harbor  and  descried  the  ship's  lamp ;  declaring 
at  the  same  time  our  belief  that,  had  we  missed  the  ship, 
in  all  probability  we  would  have  been  dashed  to  pieces 
upon  the  rocks.  We  then  made  ourselves  known  per- 
sonally to  the  captain,  who  was  well  acquainted  with 
some  of  the  party.  He  cordially  welcomed  us  on  board, 
and  invited  us  into  his  cabin,  where  we  gave  him  a  more 
detailed  account  of  our  adventure.  Meantime  the  cook 
was  ordered  to  get  us  some  breakfast  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble, and  Captain  Richardson  offered  us  dry  clothes,  and 
administered  to  our  wants  in  the  kindest  manner.  Nor 
was  it  long  till  we  felt  exceedingly  comfortable  consid- 
ering the  previous  circumstances.  We  soon  had  break- 
fast, which,  after  our  toils  and  troubles,  was  truly  a  God- 
send. Some  of  the  finest  fish  I  ever  ate  was  on  the  table ; 
excellent  ham  and  potatoes  also,  fresh  bread,  and  coffee 
boiling  hot.  It  was  devoured  with  a  most  uncommon 
relish,  as  you  may  suppose;  and  it  was  none  the  less 
agreeable  for  being  seasoned  with  pleasant  conversation. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


23 


The  captain  admitted 
that  in  all  his  seafar- 
ing career  he  had  nev- 
er known  of  any  thing 
more  absurd  than  our 
adventure,  and  that  it 
was  a  miracle  we  were 
not  every  one  lost.  All 
the  passengers  crowd- 
ed around  us  as  if  we 
had  risen  from  the 
depths  of  the  sea,  and 
I  fancied  they  exam- 
ined us  as  if  they  had 
an  idea  that  we  were 
some  kind  of  sea-mon- 
sters. 

The  Brooklyn  lay 
at  anchor  about  half 
a  mile  from  the  boat- 
landing.  At  the  dawn 
of  day  I  was  on  the 
deck,  looking  eagerly 
toward  the  island.  I 
may  as  well  confess 
at  once  that  no  child 
could  have  felt  more 
delighted  than  I  did 
in  the  anticipation  of 
something  illusive  and 
enchanting.  My  heart 
throbbed  with  impatience  to  see  what  it  was  that  cast 
so  strange  a  fascination  about  that  lonely  spot.  All  wras 
wrapped  in  mist ;  but  the  air  was  filled  with  fresh  odors 
of  land,  and  wafts  of  sweetness  more  delicious  than  the 
scent  of  new-mown  hay.  The  storm  had  ceased,  and  the 
soft-echoed  bleating  of  goats,  and  the  distant  baying  of 
wild  dogs  were  all  the  sounds  of  life  that  broke  upon  the 


24 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


stillness.  It  seemed  as  if  the  sun,  loth  to  disturb  the 
ocean  in  its  rest,  or  reveal  the  scene  of  beauty  that  lay 
slumbering  upon  its  bosom,  would  never  rise  again,  so 
gently  the  light  stole  upon  the  eastern  sky,  so  softly  it 
absorbed  the  shadows  of  night.  I  watched  the  golden 
glow  as  it  spread  over  the  heavens,  and  beheld  at  last  the 
sun  in  all  his  majesty  scatter  away  the  thick  vapors  that 
lay  around  his  resting-place,  and  each  vale  was  opened  out 
in  the  glowing  light  of  the  morning,  and  the  mountains 
that  towered  out  of  the  sea  were  bathed  in  the  glory  of 
his  rays. 

Never  shall  I  forget  the  strange  delight  with  which  I 
gazed  upon  that  isle  of  romance ;  the  unfeigned  rapture 
I  felt  in  the  anticipation  of  exploring  that  miniature 
world  in  the  desert  of  waters,  so  fraught  with  the  hap- 
piest associations  of  youth ;  so  remote  from  all  the  ordi- 
nary realities  of  life ;  the  actual  embodiment  of  the  most 
absorbing,  most  fascinating  of  all  the  dreams  of  fancy. 
Many  foreign  lands  I  had  seen ;  many  islands  scattered 
over  the  broad  ocean,  rich  and  wondrous  in  their  roman- 
tic beauty ;  many  glens  of  Utopian  loveliness  ;  mountain 
heights  weird  and  impressive  in  their  sublimity ;  but 
nothing  to  equal  this  in  variety  of  outline  and  undefinable 
richness  of  coloring ;  nothing  so  dreamlike,  so  wrapped 
in  illusion,  so  strange  and  absorbing  in  its  novelty. 
Great  peaks  of  reddish  rock  seemed  to  pierce  the  sky 
wherever  I  looked ;  a  thousand  rugged  ridges  swept  up- 
ward toward  the  centre  in  a  perfect  maze  of  enchant- 
ment. It  was  all  wild,  fascinating,  and  unreal.  The 
sides  of  the  mountains  were  covered  with  patches  of  rich 
grass,  natural  fields  of  oats,  and  groves  of  myrtle  and  pi- 
mento. Abrupt  walls  of  rock  rose  from  the  water  to 
the  height  of  a  thousand  feet.  The  surf  broke  in  a  white 
line  of  foam  along  the  shores  of  the  bay,  and  its  measured 
swell  floated  upon  the  air  like  the  voice  of  a  distant  cat- 
aract. Fields  of  verdure  covered  the  ravines;  ruined 
and  moss-covered  walls  were  scattered  over  each  emi- 
nence; and  the  straw  huts  of  the  inhabitants  were  al- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


25 


most  imbosonied  iii  trees,  in  the  midst  of  the  valley,  and 
jets  of  smoke  arose  out  of  the  groves  and  floated  off 
gently  in  the  calm  air  of  the  morning.  In  all  the  shore, 
but  one  spot,  a  single  opening  among  the  rocks,  seemed 
accessible  to  man.  The  rest  of  the  coast  within  view 
consisted  of  fearful  cliffs  overhanging  the  water,  the 
ridges  from  which  sloped  upward  as  they  receded  in- 
land, forming  a  variety  of  smaller  valleys  above,  which 
were  strangely  diversified  with  woods  and  grass,  and 
golden  fields  of  wild  oats.  Close  to  the  water's  edge 
was  the  dark  moss-covered  rock,  forever  moist  with  the 
bright  spray  of  the  ocean,  and  above  it,  cleft  in  countless 
fissures  by  earthquakes  in  times  past,  the  red  burnt 
earth ;  and  there  were  gorges  through  which  silvery 
springs  coursed,  and  cascades  fringed  with  banks  of 
shrubbery ;  and  still  higher  the  slopes  were  of  a  bright 
yellow,  which,  lying  outspread  in  the  glow  of  the  early 
sunlight,  almost  dazzled  the  eye ;  and  round  about 
through  the  valleys  and  on  the  hill-sides,  the  groves  of 
myrtle,  pimento,  and  corkwood  were  draped  in  green, 
glittering  with  rain-drops  after  the  storm,  and  the  whole 
air  was  tinged  with  ambrosial  tints,  and  filled  with  sweet 
odors;  nothing  in  all  the  island  and  its  shores,  as  the 
sun  rose  and  cast  off  the  mist,  but  seemed  to 

"suffer  a  sea-change 
Into  something  rich  and  strange." 


CHAPTER  III. 

GOING  ASHORE. 

No  longer  able  to  control  our  enthusiam,  we  sprang 
into  the  boat  and  pushed  off  for  the  landing.  Captain 
Richardson,  who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  ruins  of 
the  Chilian  settlement,  joined  us  in  our  intended  excur- 
sion, and  we  were  accompanied  also  by  a  few  sporting 
passengers  from  the  Brooklyn  in  another  boat.    The  wa- 

C 


26 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


ters  of  the  bay  are  of  crystal  clearness;  we  saw  the  bot- 
tom as  we  dashed  over  the  swell,  at  a  depth  of  several 
fathoms.  It  was  alive  with  fish  and  various  kinds  of 
marine  animals,  of  which  there  are  great  quantities  about 
these  shores.  Can  you  conceive,  ye  landsmen  who  dwell 
in  cities,  and  have  never  buffeted  for  weary  months  the 
gales  of  old  ocean,  the  joy  of  once  more  touching  the 
genial  earth  when  it  has  become  almost  a  dreamy  fancy 
in  the  memories  of  the  past!  Then  think,  without  a 
smile  of  disdain,  what  a  thrill  of  delight  ran  through  my 
blood  as  I  pressed  my  feet  for  the  first  time  upon  the 
fresh  sod  of  Juan  Fernandez !  Think  of  it,  too,  as  the 
realization  of  hopes  which  I  had  never  ceased  to  cherish 
from  ear]y  boyhood ;  for  this  was  the  abiding  place, 
which  I  now  at  last  beheld,  of  a  wondrous  adventurer 
whose  history  had  filled  my  soul  years  ago  with  indefi- 
nite longings  for  sea-life,  shipwreck,  and  solitude!  Yes, 
here  was  verily  the  land  of  Robinson  Crusoe;  here,  in 
one  of  these  secluded  glens,  stood  his  rustic  castle ;  here 


okusoe's  castle. 


he  fed  his  goats  and  held  converse  with  his  faithful  pets ; 
here  he  found  consolation  in  the  devotion  of  a  new  friend, 
his  true  and  honest  man  Friday ;  beneath  the  shade  of 
these  trees  he  unfolded  the  mysteries  of  Divine  Provi- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


27 


dence  to  the  simple  savage,  and  proved  to  the  world 
that  there  is  no  position  in  life  which  may  not  be  en- 
dured by  a  patient  spirit  and  an  abiding  confidence  in 
the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God. 

Pardon  the  fondness  with  which  I  linger  upon  these 
recollections,  reader,  for  I  was  one  who  had  fought  for 
poor  Robinson  in  my  boyish  days  as  the  greatest  hero 
that  ever  breathed  the  breath  of  life ;  who  had  always, 
even  to  man's  estate,  secretly  cherished  in  my  heart  the 
belief  that  Alexander  the  Great,  Julius  Caesar,  and  all  the 
warriors  of  antiquity  were  commonplace  persons  com- 
pared with  him ;  that  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  the  Duke 
of  Wellington,  Colonel  Johnson,  Tecumseh,  and  all  the 
noted  statesmen  and  warriors  of  modern  times,  were  not 
to  be  mentioned  in  the  same  day  with  so  extraordinary 
a  man;  I,  who  had  always  regarded  him  as  the  most 
truthful  and  the  very  sublimest  of  adventurers,  was  now 
the  entranced  beholder  of  his  abiding  place — walking, 
breathing,  thinking,  and  seeing  on  the  very  spot !  There 
was  no  fancy  about  it — not  the  least ;  it  was  a  palpable 
reality !  Talk  of  gold  !  Why,  I  tell  you,  my  dear  friends, 
all  the  gold  of  California  was  not  worth  the  ecstatic  bliss 
of  that  moment ! 


OBUSOE  AT  HOME. 


28 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CONDITION  OF  THE  ISLAND  IN  1849. 

We  "first  went  up  to  a  bluff,  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
boat-landing,  where  we  spent  an  hour  in  exploring  the 
ruins  of  the  fortifications  built  by  the  Chilians  in  1767. 
There  was  nothing  left  but  the  foundation  and  a  portion 
of  the  ramparts  of  the  principal  fort,  partly  imbedded  in 
banks  of  clay,  and  neatly  covered  with  moss  and  weeds. 
It  was  originally  strongly  built  of  large  stones,  which 
were  cast  down  in  every  direction  by  the  terrible  earth- 
quake of  1835;  and  now  all  that  remained  perfect  was 
the  front  wall  of  the  main  rampart  and  the  groundwork 
of  the  fort.  Not  far  from  these  ruins  we  found  the  con- 
vict cells,  which  we  explored  to  some  extent. 


CELLS 


PLAN  OF  TIIi-:  CONVICT  CELLS. 


These  cells  are  dug  into  the  brow  of  a  hill,  facing  the 
harbor,  and  extend  underground  to  the  distance  of  sev- 
eral hundred  feet,  in  the  form  of  passages  and  vaults,  re- 
sembling somewhat  the  Catacombs  of  Rome.  During 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


29 


the  penal  settlement  established  here  by  the  Chilian  gov- 
ernment, the  convicts,  numbering  sometimes  many  hund- 
reds, were  confined  in  these  gloomy  dungeons,  where 
they  were  subjected  to  the  most  barbarous  treatment. 
The  gates  or  doors  by  which  the  entrances  were  secured 
had  all  been  torn  down  and  destroyed,  and  the  excava- 
tions were  now  occupied  by  wild  goats,  bats,  toads,  and 
different  sorts  of  vermin.  Rank  fern  hung  upon  the 
sides  ;  overhead  was  dripping  with  a  cold  and  deathlike 
sweat,  and  slimy  drops  coursed  down  the  weeds,  and  the 
air  was  clamp  and  chilly;  thick  darkness  was  within  in 
the  depths  beyond — darkness  that  no  wandering  gleam 
from  the  light  of  day  ever  reached,  for  heaven  never 
smiled  upon  those  dreary  abodes  of  sin  and  sorrow.  A 
few  of  the  inner  dungeons,  for  the  worst  criminals,  were 
dug  still  deeper  underground,  and  rough  stairways  of 
earth  led  down  into  them,  which  were  shut  out  from  the 
upper  vaults  by  strong  doors.  The  size  of  these  lower 
dungeons  was  not  more  than  five  or  six  feet  in  length 
by  four  or  five  in  height,  from  which  some  idea  may  be 
formed  of  the  sufferings  endured  by  the  poor  wretches 
confined  in  them,  shut  out  from  the  light  of  heaven,  load- 
ed with  heavy  irons,  crushed  down  by  dank  and  impen- 
etrable walls  of  earth,  starved  and  beaten  by  their  cruel 
guards,  with  no  living  soul  to  pity  them  in  their  woe, 
no  hope  of  release  save  in  death.  We  saw,  by  the  aid 
of  a  torch,  deep  holes  scratched  in  one  of  the  walls,  bear- 
ing the  impression  of  human  fingers.  It  might  have  been 
that  some  unhappy  murderer,  goaded  to  madness  by  such 
cruel  tortures  of  body  and  terrible  anguish  of  mind  as 
drive  men  to  tear  even  their  own  flesh  when  buried  be- 
fore the  vital  spark  is  extinct,  had  grasped  out  the  earth 
in  his  desperation,  and  left  the  marks  in  his  death  ago- 
nies upon  the  clay  that  entombed  him,  to  tell  what  no 
human  heart  but  his  had  suffered  there,  no  human  ear 
had  heard,  no  human  eye  had  witnessed.  The  deep, 
startling  echo  breaking  upon  the  heavy  air,  as  we  sound- 
ed the  walls,  seemed  yet  to  mingle  with  his  curses,  and 


30 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


its  last  sepulchral  throb  was  like  the  dying  moan  of  the 
maniac. 

Some  time  before  the  great  earthquake,  which  de- 
stroyed the  fortifications  and  broke  up  the  penal  colony, 
a  gang  of  convicts,  amounting  to  three  hundred,  succeed- 
ed in  liberating  themselves  from  their  cells.    Unable  to 


CONVICT  CELLS. 


endure  the  cruelties  inflicted  upon  them,  they  broke  loose 
from  their  chains,  and,  rushing  upon  the  guards,  murdered 
the  greater  part  of  them,  and  finally  seized  the  garrison. 
For  several  days  they  held  complete  possession  of  the 
island.  A  whale-ship,  belonging  to  Nantucket,  happen- 
ing to  come  in  at  the  time  for  wood  and  water,  they 
seized  the  captain,  and  compelled  him  to  take  on  board 
as  many  of  them  as  the  vessel  could  contain.  About  two 
hundred  were  put  on  board.  They  then  threatened  the 
captain  and  officers  with  instant  death  in  case  of  any  fail- 
ure to  land  them  on  the  coast  of  Peru,  whither  they  de- 
termined to  go  in  order  to  escape  the  vengeance  of  the 
Chilian  government.  Desirous  of  getting  rid  of  them  as 
soon  as  possible,  the  captain  of  the  whaler  ran  over  for 
the  first  land  on  the  coast  of  Chili,  where  he  put  them 
ashore,  leaving  them  ignorant  of  their  position  until  they 
were  unable  to  regain  the  vessel.  They  soon  discovered 
that  they  were  only  thirty  miles  from  Valparaiso ;  but, 
short  as  the  distance  was  from  the  Chilian  authorities, 
they  evaded  all  attempts  to  capture  them,  and  eventually 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


31 


joined  the  Peruvian  army,  which  was  then  advancing 
upon  Santiago.  The  remainder  of  the  prisoners  left  upon 
the  island  escaped  in  dhTerent  vessels,  and  were  scattered 
over  various  parts  of  the  world.  Only  a  few  of  the  en- 
tire number  engaged  in  the  massacre  were  ever  captured ; 
sentence  of  death  was  passed  upon  them,  and  they  were 
shot  in  the  public  plaza  of  Santiago. 

Turning  our  steps  toward  the  settlement  of  the  pres- 
ent residents,  we  passed  a  few  hours  very  agreeably  in 
rambling  about  among  their  rustic  abodes.  The  total 
number  of  inhabitants  at  this  period  (1849)  is  sixteen, 
consisting  of  William  Pearce,  an  American,  and  four  or 
five  Chilian  men,  with  their  wives  and  children.  No  oth- 
ers have  lived  permanently  upon  the  island  for  several 
years.  There  are  in  all  some  six  or  seven  huts,  pleasantly 
surrounded  by  shrubbery,  and  well  supplied  with  water 


CHILIAN  HUTS. 

from  a  spring.  These  habitations  are  built  of  the  straw 
of  wild  oats,  interwoven  through  wattles  or  long  sticks, 
and  thatched  with  the  same,  and,  whether  from  design 
or  accident,  are  extremely  picturesque.  The  roofs  pro- 
ject so  as  to  form  an  agreeable  shade  all  round;  the 
doorways  are  covered  in  by  a  sort  of  projecting  porch, 
in  the  style  of  the  French  cottages  along  the  valley  of 


32 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


the  Seine;  small  out-houses,  erected  upon  posts,  are  scat- 
tered about  each  inclosure ;  and  an  air  of  repose  and  free- 
dom from  worldly  care  pervades  the  whole  place,  though 
the  construction  of  the  houses  and  mode  of  living  are 
evidently  of  the  most  primitive  kind.  Seen  through  the 
green  shrubberies  that  abound  in  every  direction,  the 
bright  yellow  of  the  cottages,  and  the  smoke  curling  up 
in  the  still  air,  have  a  very  cheerful  effect ;  and  the  prat- 
tling voices  of  the  children,  mingled  with  the  lively  bleat- 
ing of  the  kids,  and  the  various  pleasant  sounds  of  do- 
mestic life,  might  well  lead  one  to  think  that  the  seclusion 
of  these  islanders  from  the  busy  world  is  not  without  its 
charms.  Small  patches  of  ground,  fenced  with  rude  stone 
walls  and  brushwood,  are  attached  to  each  of  these  prim- 
itive abodes ;  and  rustic  gateways,  overrun  with  wild  and 
luxuriant  vines,  open  in  front.  Very  little  attention,  how- 
ever, appears  to  be  bestowed  upon  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil ;  but  it  looks  rich  and  productive,  and  might  be  made 
to  yield  abundant  crops  by  a  trifling  expenditure  of  la- 
bor. The  Chilians  have  never  been  distinguished  for  in- 
dustry ;  nor  is  there  any  evidence  here  that  they  depart 
from  their  usual  philosophy  in  taking  the  world  easy. 
Even  the  American  seemed  to  have  caught  the  prevail- 
ing lethargy,  and  to  be  content  with  as  little  as  possible. 
Vegetables  of  various  kinds  grow  abundantly  wherever 
the  seeds  are  thrown,  among  which  I  noticed  excellent 
radishes,  turnips,  beets,  cabbages,  and  onions.  Potatoes 
of  a  very  good  quality,  though  not  large,  are  grown  in 
small  quantities;  and,  regarding  the  natural  productive- 
ness of  the  earth,  there  seemed  to  be  no  reason  why  they 
should  not  be  cultivated  in  sufficient  quantities  to  supply 
the  demands  of  vessels  touching  for  supplies,  and  thereby 
made  a  profitable  source  of  revenue  to  the  settlers.  The 
grass  and  wild  oats  grow  in  wonderful  luxuriance  in  all 
the  open  spaces,  and  require  little  attention  ;  and  such  is 
the  genial  character  of  the  climate,  that  the  cattle,  of 
which  there  seems  to  be  no  lack,  find  ample  food  to  keep 
them  in  good  condition  both  in  winter  and  summer.  Fig- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


33 


trees,  bearing  excellent  figs,  and  vines  of  various  sorts, 
flourish  luxuriantly  on  the  hill-sides.  Of  fruits  there  is 
quite  an  abundance  in  the  early  part  of  autumn.  The 
peaches  were  just  out  of  season  when  we  arrived,  but  we 
obtained  a  few  which  had  been  peeled  and  dried  in  the 
sun,  and  we  found  them  large  and  of  excellent  flavor. 
Many  of  the  valleys  abound  in  natural  orchards,  which 
have  sprung  from  the  seeds  planted  there  by  the  early 
voyagers,  especially  by  Lord  Anson,  who  appeared  to 
have  taken  more  interest  in  the  cultivation  and  settle- 
ment of  the  island  than  any  previous  navigator.  The 
disasters  experienced  by  the  vessels  of  this  distinguished 
adventurer  in  doubling  Cape  Horn  caused  him  to  make 
Juan  Fernandez  a  rendezvous  for  the  recruiting  of  his 
disabled  seamen,  and  for  many  months  he  devoted  his 
attention  to  the  production  of  such  vegetables  and  fruits 
as  he  found  useful  in  promoting  their  recovery ;  and  hav- 
ing likewise  in  view  the  misfortunes  and  necessities  of 
those  who  might  come  after  him,  he  caused  to  be  scat- 
tered over  the  island  large  quantities  of  seeds,  so  that, 
by  their  increase,  abundance  and  variety  of  refreshments 
might  be  had  by  all  future  voyagers.  He  also  left  ashore 
many  different  sorts  of  domestic  animals,  in  order  that 
they  might  propagate  and  become  general  throughout 
the  island,  for  the  benefit  of  shipwrecked  mariners,  ves- 
sels in  distress  for  provisions,  and  colonists  who  might 
hereafter  form  a  settlement  there.  The  philanthropy  and 
moral  greatness  of  these  benevolent  acts,  from  which  the 
author  could  expect  to  derive  little  or  no  advantage  dur- 
ing life,  can  not  be  too  highly  commended.  If  posthu- 
mous gratitude  can  be  regarded  as  a  reward,  Lord  Anson 
has  a  just  claim  to  it.  How  many  lives  have  been  saved  ; 
how  many  weather-worn  mariners,  bowed  down  with 
disease,  have  been  renewed  in  health  and  strength ;  how 
many  unhappy  castaways  have  found  food  abundantly 
where  all  they  could  expect  was  a  lingering  death,  and 
have  been  sustained  in  their  exile,  and  restored  at  last  to 
their  friends  and  kindred,  through  the  unselfish  benevo- 
lo 2 


34 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


lence  of  this  brave  and  kind-hearted  navigator,  no  writ- 
ten record  exists  to  tell;  but  there  are  records  graven 
upon  the  hearts  of  men  that  are  read  by  an  omniscient 
eye — a  history  of  good  deeds  and  their  reward,  more  elo- 
quent than  human  hand  hath  written. 

Besides  peaches,  quinces,  and  other  fruits  common  in 
temperate  climates,  there  is  a  species  of  palm  called  Chu- 
ta,  which  produces  a  fruit  of  a  very  rich  flavor.  Among 
the  different  varieties  of  trees  are  corkwood,  sandal,  myr- 
tle, and  pimento.  The  soil  in  some  of  the  valleys  on  the 
north  side  is  wonderfully  rich,  owing  to  deposits  of  burnt 
earth  and  decayed  vegetable  matter  washed  down  from 
the  mountains.  There  is  but  little  level  ground  on  the 
island  ;  and  although  the  area  of  tillable  soil  is  small,  yet 
by  the  culture  of  vineyards  on  the  hill-sides,  the  grazing 
of  sheep  and  goats  on  the  mountain  steeps,  and  the  proper 
cultivation  of  the  arable  valleys,  a  population  of  several 
thousand  might  subsist  comfortably.  Pearce,  the  Amer- 
ican, who  had  thoroughly  explored  every  part  of  the 
island,  told  me  he  had  no  doubt  three  or  four  thousand 
people  could  subsist  here  without  any  supply  of  provis- 
ions from  other  countries.  A  ready  traffic  could  be  es- 
tablished with  vessels  passing  that  way,  by  means  of 
which  potatoes,  fruits,  and  other  refreshments  could  be 
bartered  for  groceries  and  clothing.  Herds  of  wild  cat- 
tle now  roam  over  these  beautiful  valleys ;  fine  horses 
may  be  seen  prancing  about  in  gangs,  with  all  the  free- 
dom of  the  mustang ;  goats  in  numerous  flocks  abound 
among  the  cliffs  ;  pigeons  and  other  game  are  abundant; 
and  wild  dogs  are  continually  prowling  around  the  set- 
tlement. 

The  few  inhabitants  at  present  on  the  island  subsist 
chiefly  upon  fish,  vegetables,  and  goat-flesh,  of  which 
they  have  an  ample  supply.  Boat-loads  of  the  finest  cod, 
rockfish,  cullet,  lobsters,  and  lamprey  eels  can  be  caught 
in  a  few  hours  all  around  the  shores  of  Cumberland  Bay, 
and  doubtless  as  plentifully  in  the  other  bays.  Nothing 
more  is  necessary  than  merely  the  trouble  of  hauling 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND.  35 

them  out  of  the  water.  We  fished  only  for  a  short  time, 
and  nearly  filled  our  boat  with  the  fattest  fish  I  ever  saw. 
Had  I  not  tested  myself  a  fact  told  me  by  some  of  the 
passengers  of  the  Brooklyn  regarding  the  abundance  of 
the  smaller  sorts  of  fish,  I  could  never  have  believed  it — 
that  they  will  nibble  at  one's  hand  if  it  be  put  in  the  wa- 
ter alongside  the  boat,  and  a  slight  ripple  made  to  at- 
tract their  attention.  This  is  a  remarkable  truth,  which 
can  be  attested  by  any  person  who  has  visited  these 
shores  and  made  the  experiment.  There  is  no  place 
among  the  cliffs  where  goats  may  not  be  seen  at  all 
times  during  the  day.  They  live  and  propagate  in  the 
caves,  and  find  sufficient  browsing  throughout  the  year 
in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks.  Lord  Anson  mentions  that 
some  of  his  hunting  parties  killed  goats  which  had  their 
ears  slit,  and  they  thought  it  more  than  probable  that 
these  were  the  very  same  goats  marked  by  Alexander 
Selkirk  thirty  years  before ;  so  that  it  is  not  unlikely 
there  still  exist  some  of  the  direct  descendants  of  the 
herds  domesticated  by  the  original  Crusoe.  The  resi- 
dents of  Cumberland  Bay  have  about  their  huts  a  con- 
siderable number  of  these  animals,  tamed,  for  their  milk. 
When  they  wish  for  a  supply  of  goat-flesh  or  skins  (for 
they  often  kill  them  merely  for  their  skins),  they  go  in  a 
body  to  Goat  Island,  where  they  surround  the  goats  and 
drive  them  over  a  cliff  into  the  sea.  As  soon  as  they 
have  driven  over  a  sufficient  number  they  take  to  their 
boat  again,  and  catch  them  in  the  water.  Some  of  them 
they  bring  home  alive,  and  keep  them  till  they  require 
fresh  meat.  Nor  are  these  people  destitute  of  the  rarer 
luxuries  of  life.  By  furnishing  whale-ships  that  touch 
for  supplies  of  water  and  vegetables  with  such  produc- 
tions as  they  can  gather  up,  they  obtain  in  exchange  cof- 
fee, ship-bread,  flour,  and  clothing ;  and  lately  they  have 
been  doing  a  good  business  in  rowing  the  passengers 
ashore  from  the  California  vessels,  and  selling  them  goat- 
skins and  various  sorts  of  curiosities.  They  also  charge 
a  small  duty  for  keeping  the  spring  of  water  clear  and 


36 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


the  boat-landing  free  from  obstructions,  and  sometimes 
obtain  a  trifle  in  the  way  of  port  charges,  in  virtue  of 
some  pretended  authority  from  the  government  of  Chili. 

The  shores  of  Juan  Fernandez  abound  in  many  differ- 
ent kinds  of  marine  animals,  among  which  the  chief  are 
seals  and  walruses.  Formerly  sealing  vessels  made  it  an 
object  to  touch  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  them,  but 
of  late  years  they  have  become  rather  scarce,  and  at 
present  few,  if  any,  vessels  visit  the  island  for  that  pur- 
pose. 


WALRUS,  OK  SEA  LION. 

Situated  in  the  latitude  of  33°  40'  S.,  and  longitude  79° 
W.,  the  climate  is  temperate  and  salubrious — never  sub- 
ject to  extremes  either  of  heat  or  cold.  In  the  valleys 
fronting  north,  the  temperature  seldom  falls  below  50° 
Fahr.  in  the  coldest  season.  Open  at  all  times  to  the 
pleasant  breezes  from  the  ocean,  without  malaria  or  any 
thing  to  produce  disease,  beautifully  diversified  in  scen- 
ery, and  susceptible  of  being  made  a  convenient  stop- 
ping-place for  vessels  bound  to  the  great  northwestern 
continent,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  more  desirable 
place  for  a  colony  of  intelligent  and  industrious  people, 
who  would  cultivate  the  land,  build  good  houses,  and 
turn  to  advantage  all  the  gifts  of  Providence  which  have 
been  bestowed  upon  the  island. 

The  only  material  drawback  is  the  want  of  a  large  and 
commodious  harbor,  in  which  vessels  could  be  hauled  up 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


37 


for  repairs.  This  island  could  never  answer  any  other 
purpose  than  that  of  a  casual  stopping-place  for  vessels 
in  want  of  refreshments,  and  for  this  it  seems  peculiarly 
adapted.  The  principal  harbors  are  Port  English,  on  the 
south  side,  visited  by  Lord  Anson  in  1741 ;  Port  Juan, 
on  the  west ;  and  Cumberland  Bay,  on  the  north  side. 
The  latter  is  the  best,  and  is  most  generally  visited,  in 
consequence  of  being  on  the  fertile  side  of  the  island, 
where  water  also  is  most  easily  obtained.  None  of  them 
afford  a  very  secure  anchorage,  the  bottom  being  deep 
and  rocky  ;  and  vessels  close  to  the  shore  are  exposed  to 
sudden  and  violent  flaws  from  the  mountains,  and  the 
danger  of  being  driven  on  the  rocks  by  gales  from  the 
ocean.  In  Cumberland  Bay,  however,  there  are  places 
where  vessels  can  ride  in  safety,  by  choosing  a  position 
suitable  to  the  prevailing  winds  of  the  season.  The 
chart  and  soundings  made  by  Lord  Anson  will  be  found 
useful  to  navigators  who  design  stopping  at  Juan  Fer- 
nandez. 


CHAPTER  V. 

robinson  crusoe's  cave. 

Our  next  expedition  was  to  Robinson  Crusoe's  Cave. 
How  it  obtained  that  name  I  am  unable  to  say.  The 
people  ashore  spoke  of  it  confidently  as  the  place  where 
a  seafaring  man  had  lived  for  many  years  alone ;  and  I 
believe  most  mariners  who  have  visited  the  island  have 
fixed  upon  that  spot  as  the  actual  abode  of  Alexander 
Selkirk.  There  are  two  ways  of  getting  to  the  cave 
from  the  regular  boat-landing ;  one  over  a  high  chain  of 
cliffs,  intervening  between  Crusoe's  Valley,  or  the  valley 
of  the  cave,  and  the  Chilian  huts  near  the  landing ;  the 
other  by  water.  The  route  by  land  is  somewhat  diffi- 
cult; it  requires  half  a  day  to  perform  it,  and  there  is 
danger  of  being  dashed  to  pieces  by  the  loose  earth  giv- 


38 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


ing  way.  In  many  parts  of  the  island  the  surface  of  the 
cliffs  is  composed  entirely  of  masses  of  burnt  clay,  which 
upon  the  slightest  touch  are  apt  to  roll  down,  carrying 
every  thing  with  them.  Numerous  cases  are  related  by 
the  early  voyagers  of  accidents  to  seamen  and  others,  in 
climbing  over  these  treacherous  heights.  The  distance 
by  water  is  only  two  miles,  and  by  passing  along  under 
the  brow  of  the  cliffs  a  very  vivid  idea  may  be  had  of 
their  strange  and  romantic  formation.  We  had  our  guns 
with  us,  which  we  did  not  fail  to  use  whenever  there  was 
an  opportunity ;  but  the  game,  consisting  principally  of 
wild  goats,  kept  so  far  out  of  reach  on  the  dizzy  heights, 
that  they  passed  through  the  ordeal  in  perfect  safety. 
Some  of  us  wanted  to  go  by  land  and  shoot  them  from 
above,  thinking  the  bullets  would  carry  farther  when 
fired  downward  than  they  seemed  to  carry  when  fired 
from  below.  The  rest  of  the  party  had  so  little  confi- 
dence in  our  skill  that  they  dissuaded  us  from  the  at- 
tempt, on  the  pretense  that  the  ship  might  heave  in  sight 
while  we  were  absent. 

A  pleasant  row  of  half  an  hour  brought  us  to  the  little 
cove  in  Crusoe's  Valley.  The  only  landing-place  is  upon 
an  abrupt  bank  of  rocks,  and  the  surf  breaking  in  at  this 
part  of  the  shore  rather  heavily,  we  had  to  run  the  boat 
up  in  regular  beach-comber  style.  Riding  in  on  the  back 
of  a  heavy  sea,  we  sprang  out  as  soon  as  the  boat  struck, 
and  held  our  ground,  when,  by  watching  our  chance  for 
another  good  sea,  we  ran  her  clear  out  of  the  water,  and 
made  her  fast  to  a  big  rock  for  fear  she  might  be  carried 
away.  About  two  hundred  yards  from  where  we  land- 
ed we  found  the  cave. 

It  lies  in  a  volcanic  mass  of  rock,  forming  the  bluff  or 
termination  of  a  rugged  ridge,  and  looks  as  if  it  might 
be  the  doorway  into  the  ruins  of  some  grand  old  castle. 
The  height  of  the  entrance  is  about  fifteen  feet,  and  the 
distance  back  into  the  extremity  twenty-five  or  thirty. 
It  varies  in  width  from  ten  or  twelve  to  eighteen  feet. 
Within  the  mouth  the  surface  is  of  reddish  rock,  with 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND 


39 


cixsoe's  cave. 


holes  or  pockets  dug  into  the  sides,  which  it  is  probable 
were  used  for  cupboards  by  the  original  occupant.  There 
were  likewise  large  spike-nails  driven  into  the  rock,  upon 
which  we  thought  it  likely  clothing,  guns,  and  household 
utensils  might  have  been  hung  even  at  as  remote  a  date 
as  the  time  of  Selkirk,  for  they  were  very  rusty,  and  bore 
evidence  of  having  been  driven  into  the  rock  a  long  time 
ago.  A  sort  of  stone  oven,  with  a  sunken  place  for  fire 
underneath,  was  partly  visible  in  the  back  part  of  the 
cave,  so  that  by  digging  away  the  earth  we  uncovered 
it,  and  made  out  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  built. 
There  was  a  darkish  line,  about  a  foot  wide,  reaching  up 
to  the  roof  of  the  cave,  which,  by  removing  the  surface  a 
little,  we  discovered  to  be  produced  originally  by  smoke, 
cemented  in  some  sort  by  a  drip  that  still  moistened  the 
wall,  and  this  we  found  came  through  a  hole  in  the  top, 
which  we  concluded  was  the  original  chimney,  now  cov- 
ered over  with  deposits  of  earth  and  leaves  from  the 
mountain  above.  In  rooting  about  the  fireplace,  so  as  to 
get  away  the  loose  rubbish  that  lay  over  it,  one  of  our 


40 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


party  brought  to  light  an  earthen  vessel,  broken  a  little 
on  one  side,  but  otherwise  perfect.  It  was  about  eight 
inches  in  diameter  at  the  rim,  and  an  inch  or  two  small- 
er at  the  bottom,  and  had  some  rough  marks  upon  the 
outside,  which  we  were  unable  to  decipher,  on  account 
of  the  clay  which  covered  it.  Afterward  we  took  it  out 
and  washed  it  in  a  spring  near  by,  when  we  contrived  to 
decipher  one  letter  and  a  part  of  another,  with  a  portion 
of  the  date.  The  rest  unfortunately  was  on  the  piece 
which  had  been  broken  off,  and  which  we  were  unable 
to  find,  although  we  searched  a  long  time ;  for,  as  may  be 
supposed,  we  felt  curious  to  know  if  it  was  the  handi- 
work of  Alexander  Selkirk.  For  my  own  part,  I  had 
but  little  doubt  that  this  was  really  one  of  the  earthen 
pots  made  by  his  own  hands,  and  the  reason  I  thought 
so  was  that  the  parts  of  the  letters  and  date  which  we 
deciphered  corresponded  with  his  name  and  the  date  of 
his  residence,  and  likewise  because  it  was  evident  that  it 
must  have  been  imbedded  in  the  ground  out  of  which 
we  dug  it  long  beyond  the  memory  of  any  living  man. 
I  was  so  convinced  of  this,  and  so  interested  in  the  dis- 
covery, that  I  made  a  rough  drawing  of  it  on  the  spot, 
of  which  I  have  since  been  very  glad,  inasmuch  as  it  was 
accidentally  dropped  out  of  the  boat  afterward  and  lost 
in  the  sea. 


A  I.ELIC  OF  OKCSOE. 

"We  searched  in  vain  for  other  relics  of  the  kind,  but 
all  we  could  find  were  a  few  rusty  pieces  of  iron  and 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


41 


some  old  nails.  The  sides  of  the  cave,  as  also  the  top, 
had  marks  scattered  over  them  of  different  kinds,  doubt- 
less made  there  in  some  idle  moment  by  human  hands  ; 
but  we  were  unable  to  make  out  that  any  of  them  had 
a  meaning  beyond  the  unconscious  expression  of  those 
vague  and  wandering  thoughts  which  must  have  passed 
occasionally  through  the  mind  of  the  solitary  mariner 
who  dwelt  in  this  lonely  place.  They  may  have  been 
symbolical  of  the  troubled  and  fluctuating  character  of 
his  religious  feelings  before  he  became  a  confirmed  be- 
liever in  the  wisdom  and  mercy  of  Divine  Providence, 
which  unhappy  state  of  mind  he  often  refers  to  in  the 
course  of  his  narrative. 


O-X'oUE'S  DEVOTIONS. 


This  cave  is  now  occupied  only  by  wild  goats  and 
bats,  and  had  not  been  visited,  perhaps,  by  any  human 
being,  until  recently,  more  than  once  or  twice  in  half  a 
century,  and  then  probably  only  by  some  deserter  from 
a  whale-ship,  who  preferred  solitude  and  the  risk  of  starv- 
ation to  the  cruelty  of  a  brutish  captain. 

In  front  of  the  cave,  sloping  down  to  the  sea-side,  is  a 
plain  covered  with  long  rank  grass,  wild  oats,  radishes, 
weeds  of  various  kinds,  and  a  few  small  peach-trees.  The 
latter  we  supposed  were  of  the  stock  planted  in  the  island 


42 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


by  Lord  Anson.  From  the  interior  of  the  cave  we  looked 
out  over  the  tangled  mass  of  shrubs,  wild  flowers,  and 
waving  grass  in  front,  and' saw  that  the  sea  was  covered 
with  foam,  and  the  surf  beat  against  the  point  beyond 
the  cove,  and  flew  up  in  the  air  to  a  prodigious  height  in 
white  clouds  of  spray.  Large  birds  wheeled  about  over 
the  rocky  heights,  sometimes  diving  suddenly  into  the 
water,  from  which  they  rose  again  flecked  with  foam, 
and,  soaring  upward  in  the  sunlight,  their  wings  seemed 
to  sparkle  with  jewels  out  of  the  ocean.  Following  the 
curve  of  the  horizon,  the  view  is  suddenly  cut  off  by  a 
huge  cliff  of  lava  that  rises  directly  out  of  the  water  to 
the  height  of  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  feet.  It  forms 
an  abrupt  precipice  in  front,  and  joins  a  range  of  rugged 
cliffs  behind,  which  all  abound  in  wonderful  ledges  over- 
looking the  depths  below,  dark  and  lonesome  caverns, 
and  sharp  pinnacles  piercing  the  clonds  in  every  direc- 
tion. Goat-paths  wind  around  them  in  places  apparently 
inaccessible,  and  we  saw  herds  of  goats  running  swiftly 
along  the  dizzy  heights  overhanging  the  sea,  where  we 
almost  fancied  the  birds  of  the  air  would  fear  to  fly ;  they 
bounded  over  the  frightful  fissures  in  the  rocks,  and  clung 
to  the  walls  of  cliffs  with  wonderful  agility  and  tenacity 
of  foot,  and  sometimes  they  were  so  high  up  that  they 
looked  hardly  bigger  than  rabbits,  and  we  thought  it  im- 
possible that  they  could  be  goats. 


THE  VALLEY  WITH  THE  CAVE  AND  CLIFF. 


Looking  back  into  the  valley,  we  beheld  mountains 
stretching  up  to  a  hundred  different  peaks,  the  sides 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


43 


covered  with  woods  and  fields  of  golden-colored  oats, 
and  the  ravines  fringed  with  green  banks  of  grass  and 
wild  flowers  of  every  hue.  A  stream  of  pure  spring  wa- 
ter rippled  down  over  the  rocks,  and  wound  through  the 
centre  of  the  valley,  breaking  out  at  intervals  into  bright 
cascades,  which  glimmered  freshly  in  the  warm  rays  of 
the  sun ;  its  margins  were  fringed  with  rich  grass  and 
fragrant  flowers,  and  groves  of  myrtle  overhung  the  little 
lakelets  that  were  made  in  its  course,  and  seemed  to  lin- 
ger there  like  mirrored  beauties  spell-bound.  Ridges  of 
amber-colored  earth,  mingled  with  rugged  and  moss-cov- 
ered lava,  sloped  down  from  the  mountains  on  every  side 
and  converged  into  the  valley,  as  if  attracted  by  its  ro- 
mantic beauties.  Immense  masses  of  rock,  cast  off  from 
the  towering  cliffs  by  some  dread  convulsion  of  the  ele- 
ments, had  fallen  from  the  heights,  and  now  lay  nestling 
in  the  very  bosom  of  the  valley,  enamored  with  its  charms. 
Even  the  birds  of  the  air  seemed  spell-bound  within  this 
enchanted  circle ;  their  songs  were  low  and  soft,  and  I 
fancied  they  hung  in  the  air  with  a  kind  of  rapture  when 
they  rose  out  of  their  sylvan  homes,  and  looked  down  at 
all  the  wondrous  beauties  that  lay  outspread  beneath 
them. 

Some  of  us  scattered  off  into  the  woods  of  myrtle,  or 
lay  down  by  the  spring  in  the  pleasant  shade  of  the  trees, 
and  bathed  our  faces  and  drank  of  the  cool  water ;  oth- 
ers went  up  the  hill-sides  in  search  of  peaches,  or  gath- 
ered seeds  and  specimens  of  wild  flowers  to  carry  home. 
Too  happy  in  the  change,  after  our  gloomy  passage  round 
Cape  Horn,  I  rambled  up  the  valley  alone,  and  dreamed 
glowing  day-dreams  of  Robinson  Crusoe.  Of  all  the 
islands  of  the  sea,  this  had  ever  been  the  paradise  of  my 
boyish  fancy.  Even  later  in  life,  when  some  hard  expe- 
rience before  the  mast  had  worn  off  a  good  deal  of  the 
romance  of  sea-life,  I  could  never  think  of  Juan  Fernan- 
dez without  a  strong  desire  to  be  shipwrecked  there,  and 
spend  the  remainder  of  my  days  dressed  in  goatskins, 
rambling  about  the  cliffs,  and  hunting  wild  goats.  It 


44 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


DKEAM-LAA'D  CllUSOE. 


was  a  very  imprudent  desire,  to  be  sure,  not  at  all  sensi- 
ble ;  but  I  am  now  making  a  confession  of  facts  rather 
out  of  the  common  order,  and  for  which  it  would  be  use- 
less to  oifer  any  excuse.  Pleasant  scenes  of  my  early 
life  rose  up  before  me  now  with  all  their  original  fresh- 
ness. How  well  I  remembered  the  first  time  I  read  the 
surprising  adventures  of  Robinson  Crusoe !  It  was  in 
the  country,  where  I  had  never  learned  the  worldly  wis- 
dom of  the  rising  generation  in  cities.  Indeed,  I  had 
never  seen  a  city,  and  only  knew  by  hearsay  that  such 
wonderful  places  existed.  My  father,  after  an  absence 
of  some  weeks,  returned  with  an  illustrated  volume  of 
Crusoe,  bound  in  cream-colored  muslin  (how  plainly  I 
could  see  that  book  now !),  which  he  gave  me,  with  a 
smiling  admonition  not  to  commence  reading  it  for  two 
or  three  years,  by  which  time  he  hoped  I  would  be  old 
enough  to  understand  it.  That  very  night  I  was  in  a 
new  world — a  world  all  strange  and  fascinating,  yet  to 
me  as  real  as  the  world  around  me.  How  I  devoured 
each  enchanting  page,  and  sighed  to  think  of  ever  get- 
ting through  such  a  delightful  history.    It  was  the  first 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


45 


FAIKY  COVE. 


book  beyond  mere  fairy  tales  (which  I  had  almost  begun 
to  doubt),  the  first  narrative  descriptive  of  real  life  that 
I  had  ever  read.  Such  a  thing  as  a  doubt  as  to  its  entire 
truthfulness  never  entered  my  head.  I  lingered  over  it 
with  the  most  intense  and  credulous  interest,  and  long- 
after  parental  authority  had  compelled  me  to  give  it  up 
for  the  night,  my  whole  soul  was  filled  with  a  confusion 
of  novel  and  delightful  sensations.  Before  daylight  I 
wTas  up  again ;  I  could  not  read  in  the  dark,  but  I  could 
open  the  magic  book  and  smell  the  leaves  fresh  from  the 
press ;  and  before  the  type  was  visible  I  could  trace  out 
the  figures  in  the  prints,  and  gaze  in  breathless  wonder 
upon  the  wild  man  in  the  goatskins. 

The  big  tears  stood  in  my  eyes  when  I  was  through ; 


46 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


but  I  found  consolation  in  reading  it  again  and  again  ;  in 
picturing  out  a  thousand  things  that  perhaps  De  Foe 
never  dreamt  of ;  and  each  night  when  I  went  to  bed  I 
earnestly  prayed  to  God  that  I  might  some  day  or  other 
be  cast  upon  a  desolate  island,  and  live  to  become  as  won- 
derful a  man  as  Robinson  Crusoe.  Yet,  not  content  with 
that,  I  devoted  all  my  leisure  hours  to  making  knife-cases, 
caps,  and  shot-pouches  out  of  rabbit-skins,  in  the  faint 
hope  that  it  would  hasten  the  blissful  disaster.  Years 
passed  away  ;  I  lived  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio ;  I  had 
been  upon  the  ocean.  Still  a  boy  in  years,  and  more  so 
perhaps  in  feeling,  the  dream  was  not  ended.  I  gathered 
up  drift-wood,  and  built  a  hut  among  the  rocks ;  whole 
days  I  lay  there  thinking  of  that  island  in  the  far-off  seas. 
A  piece  of  tarred  plank  from  some  steam-boat  had  a 
sweeter  scent  to  me  than  the  most  odorous  flower;  for, 
as  I  lay  smelling  it  by  the  hour,  it  brought  up  such  ex- 
quisite visions  of  shipwreck  as  never  before,  perhaps,  so 
charmed  the  fancy  of  a  dreaming  youth.  Well  I  remem- 
bered, too,  the  favored  few  that  I  let  into  the  secret ;  how 
we  went  every  afternoon  to  a  sand-bar,  and  called  it  Cru- 
soe's Island  ;  how  I  was  Robinson  Crusoe,  and  the  friend 
of  my  heart  Friday,  whom  I  caused  to  be  painted  from 
head  to  foot  with  black  mud,  as  also  the  rest  of  my 


RESCUE  OF  FRIDAY. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


47 


friends ;  and  then  the  battles  we  had  ;  the  devouring  of 
the  dead  men ;  the  horrible  dances,  and  chasing  into  the 
water ;  and,  above  all,  the  rescue  of  my  beloved  Friday — 
how  vividly  I  saw  those  scenes  again ! 

Years  passed  on  ;  I  was  a  sailor  before  the  mast.  Alas ! 
what  a  sad  reality !  I  saw  men  flogged  like  beasts ;  I  saw 
cruelty,  hardship,  disease,  death  in  their  worst  forms ;  so 
much  I  saw  that  I  was  glad  to  take  the  place  of  a  wan- 
dering outcast  upon  the  shores  of  a  sickly  island  ten 
thousand  miles  from  home,  to  escape  the  horrors  of  that 
life.  Yet  the  dream  was  not  ended.  Bright  and  beau- 
tiful as  ever  seemed  to  me  that  little  world  upon  the  seas, 
where  dwelt  in  solitude  the  shipwrecked  mariner.  In 
the  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  I  was  again  a  wanderer ;  im- 
pelled by  that  vision  of  island-life  which  for  seventeen 
years  had  never  ceased  to  haunt  me,  I  cast  all  upon  the 
hazard  of  a  die — escaped  in  an  open  boat  through  the 
perils  of  a  storm,  and  now — where  was  I  ?  What  pleas- 
ant sadness  was  it  that  weighed  upon  my  heart?  Was 
all  this  a  dream  of  youth  ;  was  it  here  to  end,  never  more 
to  give  one  gleam  of  joy ;  was  the  happy  credulity,  the 
freshness,  the  enthusiasm  of  boyhood  gone  forever? 
Could  it  be  that  this  was  not  Crusoe's  Valley  at  last — 
this  spot,  which  I  had  often  seen  in  fancy  from  the  banks 
of  the  Ohio,  dim  in  the  mist  of  seas  that  lay  between  ? 
Did  I  really  wander  through  it,  or  was  it  still  a  dream  ? 

And  where  was  the  king  of  the  island ;  the  hero  of 
my  boyish  fancy;  he  who  had  delighted  me  with  the 
narrative  of  his  romantic  career,  as  man  had  never  done 
before,  as  all  the  pleasures  of  life  have  never  done  since ; 
where  was  the  genial,  the  earnest,  the  adventurous  Rob- 
inson Crusoe  ?  Could  it  be  that  there  wras  no  "  mortal 
mixture  of  earth's  mould  in  him ;"  that  he  was  barely 
the  simple  mariner  Alexander  Selkirk  ?  No !  no !  Rob- 
inson Crusoe  himself  had  wandered  through  these  very 
groves  of  myrtle ;  he  had  quenched  his  thirst  in  the  spring 
that  bubbled  through  the  moss  at  my  feet ;  had  slept 
during  the  glare  of  noon  in  the  shade  of  those  overhang- 


43 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


ing  grottoes ;  had  dreamed  his  day-dreams  in  these  se- 
cluded glens. 


CUllbOE  A6LEEP. 

Here,  too,  Friday  had  followed  his  master ;  the  simple, 
childlike  Friday,  the  most  devoted  of  servants,  the  gen- 
tlest of  savages,  the  faithfullest  of  men  !  Blessing  on  thee, 
Robinson,  how  I  have  admired  thy  prolific  genius ;  how 
I  have  loved  thee  for  thine  honest  truthfulness !  And 
blessings  on  thee,  Friday,  how  my  young  heart  hath 
warmed  toward  thee !  how  I  have  laughed  at  thy  scald- 
ed fingers,  and  wept  lest  the  savages  should  take  thee 
away  from  me !    *    *  * 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  VALLEY  ON  FIRE. 

There  was  a  sudden  rustling  in  the  bushes. 

"  Hallo,  there  !"  shouted  a  voice.  I  looked  round  and 
beheld  a  fellow-passenger,  a  strange,  eccentric  man,  who 
was  seldom  known  to  laugh,  and  whose  chief  pleasure 
consisted  in  reducing  every  thing  to  the  practical  stand- 
ard of  common  sense.  He  was  deeper  than  would  ap- 
pear at  first  sight,  and  not  a  bad  sort  of  person  at  heart, 
but  a  little  wayward  and  desponding  in  his  views  of  life. 

"  You'll  catch  cold,"  said  he ;  "  nothing  gives  a  cold 
so  quick  as  sitting  on  the  damp  ground." 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


49 


"  True,"  said  I,  smiling;  "  but  recollect  the  romance  of 
the  thing." 

"  Romance,"  rejoined  the  sad  man,  "  won't  cure  a  cold. 
I  never  knew  it  to  cure  one  in  my  life." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  you're  right.  Every  body  is  right 
who  believes  in  nothing  but  reality.  The  hewer  of  wood 
and  the  drawer  of  water  gets  more  credit  in  the  world 
for  good  sense  than  the  unhappy  genius  who  affords 
pleasure  to  thousands." 

"  So  he  ought — he's  a  much  more  useful  man." 

"  Granted  ;  we  won't  dispute  so  well-established  a  tru- 
ism. Now  let  us  cut  a  few  walking-sticks  to  carry  home. 
It  will  please  our  friends  to  find  that  we  thought  of  them 
in  this  outlandish  part  of  the  world." 

"  To  be  sure ;  if  you  like.  But  you'll  never  carry  them 
home.  No,  sir,  you  can't  do  it.  You'll  lose  them  before 
you  get  half  way  to  America." 

"  No  matter — they  cost  nothing.  Lend  me  your  knife, 
and  we'll  try  the  experiment,  at  all  events." 

I  then  cut  a  number  of  walking-sticks  and  tied  them 
up  in  a  bundle.  And  here,  while  the  warning  of  the 
doubter  is  fresh  in  my  mind,  let  me  mention  the  fate  of 
these  much-valued  relics.  I  cut  four  beautiful  sticks  of 
myrtle,  every  one  of  which  I  lost  before  I  reached  Cali- 
fornia, though  I  was  very  careful  where  I  kept  them — so 
careful,  indeed,  that  I  hid  them  away  on  board  the  ship 
and  never  could  find  them  again. 

On  our  way  back  to  the  cave,  as  we  emerged  from  the 
grove,  I  was  astonished  to  see  the  entire  valley  in  a  blaze 
of  fire.  It  raged  and  crackled  up  the  sides  of  the  mount- 
ains, blazing  wildly  and  filling  the  whole  sky  with  smoke. 
The  beautiful  valley  upon  which  I  had  gazed  with  such 
delight  a  few  hours  before,  seemed  destined  to  be  laid 
waste  by  some  fierce  and  unconquerable  destroyer,  that 
devoured  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers  in  its  desolating  ca- 
reer. The  roar  of  the  mad  rushing  flames,  the  seething 
tongues  of  fire  shooting  out  from  the  bowers  of  shrub- 
bery, the  whirling  smoke  sweeping  upward  around  the 

C 


50 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


pinnacles  of  rock,  the  angry  sea  dimly  seen  through  the 
chaos,  and  the  sharp  screaming  of  the  sea-birds  and  dis- 
mal howling  of  the  wild  dogs,  impressed  me  with  a  ter- 
rible picture  of  desolation.  It  seemed  as  if  some  dread- 
ful convulsion  of  nature  had  burst  forth  soon  to  cover 
the  island  with  seething  lava  or  ingulf  it  in  the  ocean. 

"  What  can  it  be  ?"  said  I.  "  Isn't  it  a  grand  sight  ? 
Perhaps  a  volcano  has  broken  out.  Surely  it  must  be 
some  awful  visitation  of  Providence.  It  wouldn't  be 
comfortable,  however,  to  be  broiled  in  lava,  so  I  think 
the  sooner  we  get  down  to  the  boats  the  better." 

"  There's  no  hurry,"  said  my  friend ;  "  it's  nothing  but 
the  Californians  down  at  the  cave.  I  told  them  before 
I  left  that  they'd  set  fire  to  the  grass  if  they  kept  piling 
the  brush  up  in  that  way.  Now  you  see  they've  done 
it." 

"  Yes,  I  see  they  have ;  and  a  tolerably  big  fire  they've 
made  of  it  too." 

I  almost  forgave  them  the  wanton  act  of  Vandalism, 
so  sublime  was  the  scene.  It  was  worth  a  voyage  round 
Cape  Horn  to  see  it. 

"  Plenty  of  it,"  muttered  the  sad  man,  "  to  cook  all  the 
food  that  can  be  raised  in  these  diggings.  I  wouldn't 
give  an  acre  of  ground  in  Illinois  for  the  whole  island. 
I  only  wish  they'd  burn  it  up  while  they're  at  it — if  it  be 
an  island  at  all,  which  I  ain't  quite  sure  of  yet." 

THE  CALIFORNIANS  IN  JUAN  FERNANDEZ. 

We  reached  the  cave  by  rushing  through  the  flames.. 
When  we  arrived  near  the  mouth,  I  was  amused  to  find 
about  twenty  long-bearded  Californians,  dressed  in  red 
shirts,  with  leather  belts  round  their  bodies,  garnished 
with  knives  and  pistols,  and  picks  in  their  hands,  with 
which  they  were  digging  into  the  walls  of  Selkirk's  cas- 
tle in  search  of  curiosities.  Their  guns  were  stacked  up 
outside,  and  several  of  the  party  were  engaged  in  cook- 
ing fish  and  boiling  coflfee.  They  had  battered  away  at 
the  sides,  top,  and  bottom  of  the  cave  in  their  eager 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


51 


search  for  relics,  till  they  had  left  scarcely  a  dozen  square 
feet  of  the  original  surface.  Every  man  had  literally  his 
pocket  full  of  rocks.  It  was  a  curious  sight,  here  in  this 
solitary  island,  scarcely  known  to  mariners  save  as  the 
resort  of  pirates,  deserters,  and  buccaneers,  and  chiefly 
to  the  reading  world  at  home  as  the  land  of  Robinson 
Crusoe,  to  see  these  adventurous  Americans  in  their  red 
shirts,  lounging  about  the  veritable  castle  of  the  "wild 


XUE  CALIFOEN1ANS  IN  JUAN  FERNANDEZ. 


man  in  the  goatskins,"  digging  out  the  walls,  smoking 
cigars,  whittling  sticks,  and  talking  in  plain  English  about 
California  and  the  election  of  General  Taylor.  Some  of 
them  even  went  so  far  as  to  propose  a  "prospecting" 
expedition  through  Crusoe's  Valley  in  search  of  gold, 
while  others  got  up  a  warm  debate  on  the  subject  of  an- 
nexation— the  annexation  of  Juan  Fernandez.  One  long, 
lank,  slab-sided  fellow,  with  a  leathern  sort  of  face,  and 
two  copious  streams  of  tobacco-juice  running  down  from 
the  corners  of  his  mouth,  was  leaning  on  his  pick  outside 
the  cave,  spreading  forth  his  sentiments  for  the  benefit 
of  the  group  of  gentlemen  who  were  cooking  the  fish. 

"  I  tell  you,  feller-citizens,"  said  he,  aroused  into  some- 
thing like  prophetic  enthusiasm  as  the  subject  warmed 
upon  his  mind,  "  I  tell  you  it's  manifest  destiny.  Joo-an 


52 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


Fernandays  is  bound  by  all  the  rights  of  con-san-guity  to 
be  a  part  of  the  great  Ree-public  of  Free  States.  Gen- 
tlemen, I'm  a  destiny-man  myself ;  I  go  the  whole  figure, 
sir;  yes,  sir,  I'm  none  of  your  old  Hunkers.  I  go  for 
Joo-an  Fernandays  and  California,  and  any  other  small 
patches  of  airth  that  may  be  laying  around  the  vicinity. 
We  want  'em  all,  gentlemen ;  we  want  'em  for  our  whale- 
ships  and  the  yeomanry  of  our  country  !  (cheers.)  We'll 
buy  'em  from  the  Spaniards,  sir,  with  our  gold;  if  we 
can't  buy  'em  sir,  by  hokey  !  we'll  take  'em,  sir !  (Re- 
newed cheers.)  I  ask  you,  gentlemen — I  appeal  to  your 
feelins  as  feller-citizens  of  thee  greatest  concatenation  of 
states  on  thee  face  of  God's  airth,  are  you  the  men  that'll 
refuse  to  fight  for  your  country  ?  (Cheers,  and  cries  of 
No,  no,  we  ain't  the  men  ;  hurra  for  Joo-an  Fernandays!) 
Then,  by  Jupiter,  sir,  we'll  have  it !  We'll  have  it  as 
sure  as  the  Star  of  Empire  shines  like  the  bright  Loo- 
min-ary  of  Destiny  in  the  broad  Panoply  of  Heaven  (and 
more  especially  in  the  western  section  of  it).  We'll  have 
it,  sir,  as  sure  as  that  redolent  and  inspiring  Loominary 
beckons  us  on,  sir,  like  a  dazzling  joo-el  on  the  pre-moni- 
tary  finger  of  Hope ;  and  the  glorious  Stars  and  Stripes, 
feller-citizens,  shall  wave  proudly  in  the  zephyrs  of  futu- 
rity over  the  exalted  peaks  of  Joo-an  Fernandays!" 
(Tremendous  sensation,  during  which  the  orator  takes  a 
fresh  chew  of  tobacco,  and  sits  down.) 

As  soon  as  the  party  of  annexationists  perceived  us, 
they  called  out  to  us  to  heave  to,  and  make  ourselves  at 
home.  u  Come  on,  gentlemen,  come  on !  No  ceremony. 
We're  all  Americans !  this  is  a  free  country.  Here's 
fish  !  here's  bread  !  here's  coffee !  Help  yourselves,  gen- 
tlemen !  This  is  a  great  country,  gentlemen — a  great 
country !"  Of  course  we  fell  to  work  upon  th#  fish, 
which  was  a  splendid  cod,  and  the  bread  and  the  coffee 
too,  and  very  palatable  we  found  them  all,  and  exceed- 
ingly jolly  and  entertaining  the  "gentlemen  from  the 
Brooklyn."  These  lively  individuals  had  made  the  most 
of  their  time  in  the  way  of  enjoying  themselves  ashore. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


53 


About  a  week  before  our  arrival  they  gave  a  grand  par- 
ty in  honor  of  the  American  nation  in  general.  It  was 
in  rather  a  novel  sort  of  place,  to  be  sure,  but  none  the 
worse  for  that — one  of  the  large  caves  near  the  boat- 
landing.  On  this  eventful  occasion  they  "  scared  up," 
as  they  alleged,  sundry  delicacies  from  home,  such  as  pre- 
served meats,  pound-cake,  Champagne,  and  wines  of  vari- 
ous sorts,  and  out  of  their  number  they  produced  a  full 
band  of  music.  They  also,  by  clearing  the  earth  and 
beating  it  down,  made  a  very  good  place  for  dancing, 
and  they  had  waltzes,  polkas,  and  cotillons,  in  perfect 
ballroom  style.  It  was  rather  a  novel  entertainment, 
take  it  altogether,  in  the  solitudes  of  Juan  Fernandez.  I 
have  forgotten  whether  the  four  Chilian  ladies  of  the 
island  attended;  if  they  did  not,  it  was  certainly  not  for 
want  of  an  invitation.  The  American  Crusoe  was  there, 
no  longer  monarch  of  all  he  surveyed.  Poor  fellow,  his 
reign  was  over.  The  Californians  were  the  sovereigns 
now. 

After  our  snack  with  the  Brooklynites,  we  joined  our 
comrades  down  on  the  beach.  They  had  shot  at  a  great 
many  wild  goats,  without  hitting  any,  of  course.  The 
rest  of  the  afternoon  we  spent  in  catching  fish  for  supper. 


FISHING. 


54 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  CAVE  OF  THE  BUCCANEERS. 

It  now  began  to  grow  late,  and  we  thought  it  best  to 
look  about  us  for  some  place  where  we  could  sleep.  Cap- 
tain Richardson  very  kindly  offered  us  the  use  of  his  cab- 
in, but  he  was  crowded  with  passengers,  and  we  preferred 
staying  ashore.  There  was  something  novel  in  sleeping 
ashore,  but  neither  novelty  nor  comfort  in  a  vessel  with  a 
hundred  and  eighty  Californians  on  board.  Brigham  and 
a  few  others  took  our  boat,  and  went  over  near  the  old 
fort  to  search  out  a  camping-ground,  while  the  rest  of  the 
party  and  myself  started  off  with  the  captain  to  explore 
a  grotto.  We  had  a  couple  of  sailors  to  row  us,  which 
helped  to  make  the  trip  rather  pleasant. 

Turning  a  point  of  rocks,  we  steered  directly  into  the 
mouth  of  the  grotto,  and  ran  in  some  forty  or  fifty  feet, 
till  nearly  lost  in  darkness.  It  was  a  very  wild  and  rug- 
ged place — a  fit  abode  for  the  buccaneers. 

The  cliff  into  which  the  cave  runs  is  composed  of  great 
rocks,  covered  on  top  with  a  soil  of  red,  burned  earth. 
The  swell  of  the  sea  broke  upon  the  base  with  a  loud 
roar,  and  the  surf,  rolling  inward  into  the  depths  of  the 
grotto,  made  a  deep  reverberation,  like  the  dashing  of 
water  under  a  bridge.  There  was  some  difficulty  in  ef- 
fecting a  landing  among  these  subterranean  rocks,  which 
were  round  and  slippery.  The  water  was  very  deep,  and 
abounded  in  seaweed.  On  gaining  a  dry  place,  we  found 
the  interior  quite  lofty  and  spacious,  and  tending  upward 
into  the  very  bowels  of  the  mountain.  Some  said  there 
was  a  way  out  clear  up  in  the  middle  of  the  island. 
Overhead  it  was  hung  with  stalactites,  some  of  which 
were  of  great  size  and  wonderful  formation.  Abraham 
and  myself  climbed  up  in  the  dark  about  a  hundred  feet, 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


55 


where  we  entirely  lost  sig'ht  of  the  mouth,  and  could 
hardly  see  an  inch  before  us.  As  we  turned  back  and 
began  to  descend,  our  friends  down  below  looked  like 
gigantic  monsters  standing  in  the  rays  of  light  near  the 
entrance.  I  broke  off  some  pieces  of  rock  and  put  them 
in  my  pocket,  as  tokens  of  my  visit  to  this  strange  place. 

On  reaching  the  boat  again,  we  found  a  group  of  our 
comrades  seated  around  a  natural  basin  in  the  rocks,  re- 
galing themselves  on  bread  and  water.  The  water,  I 
think,  was  the  clearest  and  best  I  ever  tasted.  It  trick- 
led down  from  the  top  of  the  cave,  and  fell  into  the  basin 
with  a  most  refreshing  sound.  I  drank  a  pint  gobletful, 
and  found  it  uncommonly  cool  and  pure.  Nothing  more 
remaining  to  be  seen,  we  started  off  for  the  boat-landing, 
near  the  huts,  where  we  parted  with  our  friend  the  cap- 
tain, and  then,  it  being  somewhat  late,  we  went  in  search 
of  our  party. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LODGINGS  UNDER  GROUND. 

When  we  arrived  on  the  ground  selected  by  Brigham 
and  the  others,  we  found  that  they  had  made  but  little 
progress  in  cutting  wood  for  the  posts,  and  much  re- 
mained to  be  done  before  we  could  get  up  the  tent. 

Heavy  clouds  hung  over  the  tops  of  the  mountains ; 
the  surf  moaned  dismally  upon  the  rocks ;  big  drops  of 
rain  began  to  strike  us  through  the  gusts  of  wind  that 
swept  down  over  the  cliffs,  and  there  was  every  prospect 
of  a  wet  and  stormy  night.  It  was  now  quite  dark. 
After  some  talk,  we  thought  it  best  to  abandon  our  plan 
of  sleeping  under  the  sail.  Finally,  we  agreed  to  go  in 
search  of  a  cave  under  the  brow  of  a  neighboring  cliff. 
We  had  seen  it  during  the  day,  and  although  a  very  un- 
promising place,  we  thought  it  would  serve  to  protect  us 
against  the  rain.    We  therefore  took  our  oars  and  sail 


50 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


upon  our  shoulders,  together  with  what  few  weapons  of 
defense  we  had,  and  stumbled  about  in  the  dark  for  some 
time,  till  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  find  the  mouth  of 
the  cave.  In  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  we  struck 
a  light  by  a  lucky  chance,  and  then  looked  in.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  bottom  to  it,  and,  so  far  as  we  could 
perceive,  neither  sides  nor  top.  Certainly  there  was  not 
a  living  soul  about  the  premises  to  deny  us  admission  ; 
so  we  crept  down,  as  we  thought,  into  the  bowels  of  the 
earth,  and,  seeing  nobody  there,  took  possession  of  our 
lodgings,  such  as  they  were. 

It  was  a  damp  and  gloomy  place  enough,  reeking  with 
mould,  and  smelling  very  strong  of  strange  animals.  The 
rocks  hung  gaping  over  our  heads,  as  if  ready  to  fall 
down  upon  us  at  the  mere  sound  of  our  voices;  the 
ground  was  covered  with  dirty  straw,  left  there  proba- 
bly by  some  deserters  from  a  whale-ship,  and  all  around 
the  sides  were  full  of  holes,  which  we  supposed  from 
the  smell  must  be  inhabited  by  foxes,  rats,  and  perhaps 
snakes,  though  we  were  afterward  told  there  were  no 
reptiles  on  the  island.  We  soon  found  that  there  wrere 
plenty  of  spiders  and  fleas  in  the  straw.  The  ground 
being  damp,  we  spread  our  sail  over  it,  in  order  to  make 
a  sort  of  bed ;  and,  being  in  a  measure  protected  by  a 
clump  of  bushes  placed  in  the  entrance  by  the  previous 
occupants  to  keep  out  the  wind  and  rain,  we  did  not  al- 
together despair  of  passing  a  tolerably  comfortable  night. 

For  a  while  there  was  not  much  said  by  any  body ; 
we  were  all  busy  looking  about  us.  Some  were  looking 
at  the  rocks  overhead ;  some  into  the  holes,  where  they 
thought  there  might  be  wild  animals ;  and  myself  and  a 
few  others  were  trying  to  light  a  fire  in  the  back  part  of 
the  cave.  It  smoked  so  that  we  had  to  give  it  up  at  last, 
for  it  well-nigh  stifled  the  whole  party. 

By  this  time,  being  all  tired,  we  lay  down,  and  had 
some  talk  about  Robinson  Crusoe. 

"If  he  lived  in  such  holes  as  this,"  said  one,  "I  don't 
think  he  had  much  sleep." 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


57 


"No,"  muttered  another,  "that  sort  of  thing  reads  a 
good  deal  better  than  it  feels ;  but  there's  no  telling  how 
a  man  may  get  used  to  it.  Eels  get  used  to  being  skin- 
ned, and  I've  heard  of  a  horse  that  lived  on  five  straws 
a  day." 

"  For  my  part,"  adds  a  third,  "  I  like  it :  there's  ro- 
mance about  it — and  convenience  too,  in  some  respects. 
For  the  matter  of  clothing,  a  man  could  wear  goatskins. 
Tailors  never  dunned  Robinson  Crusoe.  It  goes  a  great 
way  toward  making  a  man  happy  to  be  independent  of 
fashion.    Being  dunned  makes  a  man  miserable." 

"Yes,  it  makes  him  travel  a  long  way  sometimes," 
sighs  another,  thoughtfully.  "  I'd  be  willing  to  live  here 
a  few  years  to  get  rid  of  society.  What  a  glorious  thing 
it  must  be  to  have  nothing  to  do  but  hunt  wild  goats ! 
Robinson  had  a  jolly  time  of  it ;  no  accounts  to  make 
out,  no  office-hours  to  keep,  nobody  to  call  him  to  account 
every  morning  for  being  ten  minutes  too  late,  in  conse- 
quence of  a  frolic.  Talking  about  frolics,  he  wasn't 
tempted  with  liquor,  or  bad  company  either;  he  chose 
his  own  company  :  he  had  his  parrot,  his  goats,  his  man 
Friday — all  steady  sort  of  fellows,  with  no  nonsense 
about  them.  I'll  venture  to  say  they  never  drank  any 
thing  stronger  than  water." 


CRUSOE  AND  UI8  COMBADFS. 

C  2 


58 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


"  No,"  adds  another,  gloomily,  "  it  isn't  likely  they  ap- 
plied 'hot  and  rebellious  liquors  to  their  blood.'  But  a 
man  who  lives  alone  has  no  occasion  to  drink.  He  has 
no  love  affairs  on  hand  to  drive  him  to  it." 

"  Nor  a  scolding  wife.  I've  known  men  to  go  all  the 
way  to  California  to  get  rid  of  a  woman's  tongue." 

There  was  a  pause  here,  as  most  of  the  talkers  began 
to  drop  off  to  sleep. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  somebody  in  the  party,  who  had 
been  listening  attentively  to  the  conversation,  "I  don't 
believe  a  single  word  of  it.  I  don't  believe  there  ever 
was  such  a  man  as  Robinson  Crusoe  in  the  world.  I 
don't  believe  there  ever  was  such  a  man  as  Friday.  In 
my  opinion,  the  whole  thing  is  a  lie,  from  beginning  to 
end.    I  consider  Robinson  Crusoe  a  humbug  !" 

"  Who  says  it's  all  a  lie  ?"  cried  several  voices,  fierce- 
ly ;  "  who  calls  Robinson  Crusoe  a  humbug  ?" 

"  That  is  to  say,"  replied  the  culprit,  modifying  the  re- 
mark, "  I  don't  think  the  history  is  altogether  true.  Such 
a  person  might  have  lived  here,  but  he  added  something 
on  when  he  told  his  story.  He  knew  very  well  his  man 
Friday,  or  his  dogs  and  parrots  were  not  going  to  expose 
his  falsehoods." 

"  Pooh !  you  don't  believe  in  any  thing ;  you  never  did 
believe  in  any  thing  since  you  were  born.  Perhaps  you 
don't  believe  in  that.  Are  you  quite  sure  you  are  here 
yourself?" 

"  Well,  to  be  candid,  when  I  look  about  me  and  see 
what  a  queer  sort  of  a  place  it  is,  I  don't  feel  quite  sure  ; 
there's  room  for  doubt." 

"  Doubt,  sir !  doubt  ?  Do  you  doubt  Friday  ?  Do 
you  think  there's  room  for  doubt  in  him  ?" 

"Possibly  there  may  have  been  such  a  man.  I  say 
there  may  have  been ;  I  wouldn't  swear  to  it." 

"  Fudge,  sir !  fudge  !  The  fact  is,  you  make  yourself 
ridiculous.    You  are  troubled  with  dyspepsia." 

"  I  am  rayther  dyspeptic,  gentlemen,  rayther  so.  I 
hope  you'll  excuse  me,  but  I  can't  exactly  say  I  believe 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


59 


in  Crusoe.  It  ain't  ray  fault — the  belief  ain't  naturally 
in  me." 

Upon  which,  having  made  this  acknowledgment,  we 
let  him  alone,  and  he  turned  over  and  went  to  sleep. 
We  now  pricked  up  our  lamp,  and  prepared  to  follow 
his  example,  when  a  question  arose  as  to  the  propriety 
of  standing  watches  during  the  night  —  a  precaution 
thought  necessary  by  some  in  consequence  of  the  treach- 
erous character  of  the  Spaniards.  There  were  eleven  of 
us,  which  would  allow  one  hour  to  each  person.  For  my 
part,  I  thought  there  was  not  much  danger,  and  proposed 
letting  every  man  who  felt  uneasy  stand  watches  for  him- 
self. We  had  labored  without  rest  for  thirty-six  hours, 
and  I  was  willing  to  trust  to  Providence  for  safety,  and 
make  the  most  of  our  time  for  sleeping.  A  majority  be- 
ing of  the  same  opinion,  the  plan  of  standing  watches  was 
abaudoned;  and  having  loaded  our  two  guns,  we  placed 
them  in  a  convenient  position  commanding  the  mouth  of 
the  cave.  I  got  the  harpoon  and  stood  it  up  near  me, 
for  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  fasten  on  to  the  first 
Spaniard  that  came  within  reach. 

ATTACK  OF  THE  ROBBERS. 

Scarcely  had  we  closed  our  eyes  and  fallen  into  a  rest- 
less doze,  when  a  nervous  gentleman  in  the  party  rose 
up  on  his  hands  and  knees,  and  cautiously  uttered  these 
words : 

"  Friends,  don't  you  think  we'd  better  put  out  the 
light.  The  Spaniards  may  be  armed,  and  if  they  come 
here,  the  lamp  will  show  them  where  we  are,  and  they'll 
be  sure  to  take  aim  at  our  heads." 

"  Sure  enough,"  whispered  two  or  three  at  once, 
"we  didn't  think  of  that;  they  can't  see  us  in  the  dark, 
however,  unless  they  have  eyes  like  cats.  Let  us  put 
out  the  light,  by  all  means." 

So  with  that  we  were  about  to  put  out  the  light,  when 
the  man  who  had  doubts  in  regard  to  Robinson  Crusoe 
rose  up  on  his  hands  and  knees  likewise,  and  said, 


60 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


"  Hold  on  !  I  think  you'd  better  not  do  that.  It 
ain't  policy.    I  don't  believe  in  it  myself." 

"  Confound  it,  sir,"  cried  half  a  dozen  voices,  angrily, 
"you  don't  believe  in  any  thing.  What's  the  reason 
you  don't  believe  in  it,  eh  ?   What's  the  reason,  sir  ?" 

"  Well,  I'll  tell  you  why.  Because,  if  you  put  out  the 
light,  we  can't  see  where  to  shoot.  Likely  as  not  we'd 
shoot  one  another.  If  I  feel  certain  of  any  thing,  it  is, 
that  I'd  be  the  first  man  shot ;  it's  my  luck.  I  know  I'd 
be  a  dead  man  before  morning." 

There  was  something  in  this  suggestion  not  to  be 
laughed  at.  The  most  indignant  of  us  felt  the  full  force 
of  it.  To  shoot  our  enemies  in  self-defense  seemed  rea- 
sonable enough,  but  to  shoot  any  of  our  own  party,  even 
the  man  who  doubted  Robinson  Crusoe,  would  be  a  very 
serious  calamity.  At  last,  after  a  good  deal  of  talk,  we 
compromised  the  matter  by  putting  the  lamp  under  an 
old  hat  with  a  hole  in  the  top.  This  done,  we  tried  to 
go  to  sleep. 

Brigham  went  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave  about  mid- 
night to  take  an  observation.  He  was  armed  with  one 
of  the  guns. 

"  What's  that  ?"  said  he,  sharply  ;  "  I  hear  something ! 
Gentlemen,  I  hear  something !   Hallo !  who  goes  there  ?" 

There  was  no  answer.  Nothing  could  be  heard  but 
the  moaning  of  the  surf  down  on  the  beach. 

"A  Spaniard !  by  heavens,  a  Spaniard  !  I'll  shoot  him 
— I'll  shoot  him  through  the  head !" 

"  Don't  fire,  Brigham,"  said  I,  for  I  wanted  a  chance 
to  fasten  on  with  the  harpoon ;  "  wait  till  he  comes  up, 
and  ask  him  what  he  wants." 

"Ahoy  there!  What  do  you  want?  Answer  quick, 
or  I'll  shoot  you !    Speak,  or  you're  a  dead  man !" 

All  hands  were  now  in  commotion.  We  rushed  to 
the  mouth  of  the  cave  in  a  body,  determined  to  defend 
ourselves  to  the  last  extremity. 

"  Gentlemen,"  cried  Brigham,  a  little  confused,  "  it's  a 
goat !    I  see  him  now,  in  the  rays  of  the  moon  ;  a  live 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


01 


goat,  coming  down  the  cliff.  Shall  I  kill  him  for  break- 
fast?" 

"  Wait,"  said  I,  "  till  he  comes  a  little  closer ;  I'll  bend 
on  to  him  with  the  harpoon." 

"  You'd  better  let  him  alone,"  said  the  Doubter,  in  a 
sepulchral  voice.  "  Likely  as  not  it's  a  tame  goat  or  a 
chicken  belonging  to  the  American  down  there." 

"A  tame  devil,  sir!  How  do  you  suppose  they  could 
keep  tame  goats  in  such  a  place  as  this.  Your  remark 
concerning  the  chicken  is  beneath  contempt !" 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  why.  Tain't  my  nature  to  take 
an  entire  goat  without  proof.  I  thought  it  might  be  a 
chicken." 

"  Then  you'd  better  go  and  satisfy  yourself,  if  you're 
not  afraid." 

The  Doubter  did  so.  He  walked  a  few  steps  toward 
the  object,  so  as  to  get"  sight  of  its  outline,  and  then  re- 
turned, saying, 

"  That  thing  there  isn't  a  goat  at  all — neyther  is  it  a 
chicken." 

"What  is  it, then ?" 

"  Nothing  but  a  bush." 

"  What  makes  it  move  ?" 

"The  wind,  I  suppose.  I  don't  know  what  else  could 
make  it  move,  for  it  ain't  got  the  first  principle  of  animal 
life  in  it.  Bushes  don't  walk  about  of  nights  any  more 
than  they  do  in  the  daytime.  I  never  did  believe  in  it 
from  the  beginning,  and  I  told  you  so,  but  you  wouldn't 
listen  to  me." 

We  said  nothing  in  reply  to  this,  but  returned  into 
the  cave  and  lay  down  again  upon  the  sail. 


02 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

COOKING  FISH. 

Most  of  the  party  were  snoring  in  about  ten  minutes. 
For  myself,  I  found  it  impossible  to  sleep  soundly.  The 
gloomy  walls  of  rock,  the  strange  and  romantic  situation 
into  which  chance  had  thrown  me,  the  remembrance  of 
what  I  had  read  of  this  island  in  early  youth,  the  dismal 
moaning  of  the  surf  down  on  the  beach,  all  contributed 
to  confuse  my  mind.  An  hour  or  two  before  daylight, 
I  was  completely  chilled  through  by  the  dampness  of 
the  ground,  and  entirely  beyond  sleep. 

I  heard  some  voices  outside,  and  got  up  to  see  who 
was  talking.  Lest  it  might  be  the  Spaniards,  I  took  the 
harpoon  with  me.  At  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  convict- 
cells  near  by  I  found  four  of  my  comrades,  who,  unable 
to  pass  the  time  any  other  way,  had  lit  a  fire  and  were 
baking  some  fish.  They  had  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground, 
which  they  lined  with  flat  stones,  so  as  to  form  a  kind 
of  oven  ;  this  they  heated  with  coals.    Then  they  wrap- 


COOKING  IN  JUAN  FERNANDEZ. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


63 


ped  up  a  large  fish  in  some  leaves,  and  put  it  in ;  and  by 
covering  the  top  over  with  fire,  the  fish  was  very  nicely 
baked.  I  think  I  never  tasted  any  thing  more  delicate 
or  better  flavored.  We  had  an  abundant  meal,  which 
we  relished  exceedingly.  The  smoke  troubled  us  a  good 
deal ;  but,  by  telling  stories  of  shipwreck,  and  wonder- 
ing what  our  friends  at  home  would  think  if  they  could 
see  us  here  cooking  fish,  we  contrived  to  pass  an  hour  or 
so  very  pleasantly.  I  then  went  back  into  the  cave,  and 
turned  in  once  more  upon  the  sail. 

Of  course,  after  eating  fish  at  so  unusual  an  hour,  I 
had  a  confusion  of  bad  dreams.  Perhaps  they  were  vis- 
ions. In  this  age  of  spiritual  visitations,  it  is  not  alto- 
gether unlikely  the  spirits  of  the  island  got  possession 
of  me.  At  all  events,  I  saw  Robinson  Crusoe  dressed  in 
goatskins,  and  felt  him  breathe,  as  plainly  as  I  see  this 
paper  and  feel  this  pen.  How  could  I  help  it  ?  for  I  act- 
ually thought  it  was  myself  that  had  been  shipwrecked ; 
that  I  was  the  very  original  Crusoe,  and  no  other  but  the 
original ;  and  I  fancied  that  Abraham  had  turned  black, 
and  was  running  about  with  a  rag  tied  round  his  waist, 
and  I  called  him  my  man  Friday,  and  fully  believed  him 
to  be  Friday.  Sometimes  I  opened  my  eyes  and  looked 
round  the  dismal  cavern,  and  clenched  my  fists,  and 
hummed  an  old  air  of  former  times  to  try  if  Robinson 
had  become  totally  savage  in  his  nature ;  but  it  was  all 
the  same,  there  was  no  getting  rid  of  the  illusion. 

The  dawn  of  day  came.  No  ship  was  in  sight.  The 
sea  was  white  with  foam,  and  gulls  were  soaring  about 
over  the  rock-bound  shores.  I  walked  down  to  a  spring 
and  bathed  my  head,  which  was  hot  and  feverish  for 
want  of  rest. 

Bright  and  early  we  started  off  on  a  goat-hunt  among 
the  mountains.  Several  passengers  from  the  Brooklyn, 
well  provided  with  guns,  joined  the  party,  and  the  en- 
thusiasm was  general.  It  had  been  my  greatest  desire, 
from  the  first  sight  of  the  island,  to  ascend  a  high  peak 
between  the  harbor  and  Crusoe's  Valley,  and  by  follow- 


64 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


ing  the  ridge  from  that  point,  to  explore  as  far  as  prac- 
ticable the  interior.  For  this  purpose,  I  selected  as  a 
companion  my  friend  Abraham,  in  whose  enthusiastic 
spirit  and  powers  of  endurance  I  had  great  confidence. 
He  was  heartily  pleased  to  join  me;  so, buckling  up  our 
belts,  we  branched  off  from  the  party,  who  by  this  time 
were  peppering  away  at  the  wild  goats.  We  were  soon 
well  up  on  the  mountain.  Another  adventurer  joined  us 
before  we  reached  the  first  elevation ;  but  he  was  so  ex- 
hausted by  the  effort,  and  so  unfavorably  impressed  by 
the  frightful  appearance  of  the  precipices  all  round,  that 
he  was  forced  to  abandon  the  expedition  and  return  into 
the  valley.  We  speedily  lost  sight  of  him,  as  he  crept 
down  among  the  declivities. 


THE  CLIFF. 

The  side  of  the  mountain  which  we  were  ascending 
was  steep  and  smooth,  and  was  covered  with  a  growth 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


65 


of  long  grass  and  wild  oats,  which  made  it  very  hard  to 
keep  the  goat-paths ;  and  all  about  us,  except  where  these 
snake-like  traces  lay,  was  as  smooth  and  sloping  as  the 
roof  of  a  house.  There  was  one  part  of  the  mountain 
that  sloped  down  in  an  almost  perpendicular  line  to  the 
verge  of  the  cliff  overhanging  the  sea,  where  the  abrupt 
fall  was  more  than  a  thousand  feet,  lined  with  sharp  crags. 
This  fearful  precipice  rose  like  a  wall  of  solid  rock  out 
of  the  sea,  and  there  wTas  a  continual  roar  of  surf  at  its 
base.  There  was  no  way  of  getting  up  any  higher 
without  scaling  the  slope  above,  which,  as  I  said  before, 
was  covered  with  long  grass  and  oats,  that  lay  upon  it 
like  the  thatch  of  a  house ;  and  the  rain  which  had  fall- 
en during  the  previous  night  now  made  it  very  smooth. 
I  looked  at  it,  I  must  confess,  with  something  like  dismay, 
thinking  how  we  were  to  climb  over  such  a  steep  place 
without  slipping  down  over  the  cliff;  when  I  beheld 
Abraham,  of  whom  I  had  lost  sight  for  a  time,  toiling 
upward  upon  it  like  a  huge  bear.  His  outline  against 
the  sky  reminded  me  especially  of  a  bear  of  the  grizzly 
species.  I  saw  that  he  clung  to  the  roots  of  the  grass 
with  his  hands,  and  dug  his  toes  into  the  soft  earth  to 
keep  from  sliding  back,  in  case  his  hold  should  give  way. 
Committing  myself  to  Providence,  I  started  after  him  by 
a  shorter  cut,  grasping  hold  of  the  grass  by  the  roots  as 
-I  went.  Every  few  perches,  I  stopped  to  search  for  a 
strong  bunch  of  grass,  for  there  was  nothing  else  to  hold 
on  by.  Some  of  it  was  so  loose  that  it  gave  way  as  soon 
as  I  laid  hold  of  it,  and  I  came  near  going  for  want  of 
something  to  balance  me.  Six  inches  of  a  slide  would 
have  sent  me  twirling  over  the  cliff  into  the  raging  surf 
a  thousand  feet  below.  Once,  impressed  with  the  terri- 
ble idea  that  I  was  slipping,  I  stopped  short,  and  my 
heart  beat  till  it  shook  me  all  over.  It  was  only  by  lying 
flat  down  and  seizing  the  roots  of  the  grass  with  both 
hands,  while  I  dug  my  toes  into  the  sod,  that  I  retained 
my  presence  of  mind.  Indeed,  at  this  place,  having 
turned  to  look  back,  I  was  so  struck  with  horror  at  the 


66 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


frail  tenure  upon  which  my  life  depended,  that  I  turned 
partly  blind,  and  a  rushing  noise  whirled  through  my 
brain  at  the  thought  that  I  should  be  no  longer  able  to 
retain  my  grasp.  If  for  one  moment  I  lost  my  con- 
sciousness and  let  go  my  hold  of  the  grass,  I  would  sure- 
ly be  lost ;  there  was  no  hope ;  I  must  be  dashed  over 
the  precipice,  and  go  spinning  through  a  thousand  feet 
of  space  till  I  struck  the  rocks  below,  or  was  buried  in 
the  surf.  I  lay  panting  for  breath,  while  every  muscle 
quivered  as  if  it  would  shake  loose  my  grasp.  In  the 
space  of  five  minutes  I  thought  more  of  death  than  I  had 
ever  thought  before.  Was  this  to  be  my  end  after  all  ? 
What  would  they  say  on  board  the  ship  when  I  was 
dead  ?  What  would  be  the  distress  of  my  friends  and 
kindred  at  home  when  they  heard  how  my  mangled  body 
was  picked  up  in  the  surf,  and  buried  upon  this  lone- 
ly rock-bound  island?  A  thousand  thoughts  flashed 
through  my  brain  in  succession.  Even  the  happy  days 
of  my  youth  rose  up  before  me  now,  but  the  vision  was 
sadly  mingled  with  errors  and  follies  that  could  never  be 
retrieved.  Believing  my  time  had  come,  I  looked  up- 
ward in  my  agony,  and  beheld  Abraham,  scarcely  twen- 
ty yards  in  advance,  lying  down  in  the  same  position, 
with  hands  stretched  out  and  dug  into  the  roots  of  the 
grass. 

"  Abraham,"  said  I,  "  this  is  terrible !" 
"  Yes,"  said  he,  "  a  foretaste  of  death,  if  nothing 
worse." 

"  But  how  in  the  world  are  we  to  get  out  of  it  ?" 

"  I  don't  know — there  seems  to  be  no  hope ;  we  can't 
go  back  again,  that's  an  absolute  certainty.  In  my  opin- 
ion, we'll  have  to  stay  here  till  somebody  comes  for  us, 
which  doesn't  seem  a  likely  chance  just  now." 

A  good  rest,  however,  having  inspired  us  with  fresh 
courage,  we  resolved  upon  pushing  on.  There  was  a 
narrow  ledge  about  a  hundred  yards  above  us;  if  we 
could  reach  that,  we  would  be  safe  for  the  present.  By 
great  exertion  we  got  a  little  above  the  place  where  we 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


07 


had  lain  down ;  and,  the  sod  beginning  to  give  way  as 
before,  we  threw  ourselves  on  our  faces  again,  and  rested 
a  while.  In  this  way,  hanging,  as  it  were,  between  life 
and  death,  we  at  last  reached  the  ledge.  Here  we  flung 
ourselves  on  the  solid  rock,  quite  exhausted.  Abraham 
was  a  brave  man,  but  he  now  lay  gasping  for  breath,  as 
pale  as  a  ghost.  I  suppose  I  looked  about  the  same,  for, 
to  tell  the  honest  truth,  I  was  well-nigh  scared  out  of 
my  senses.  Certainly  all  the  gold  of  Ophir  could  not 
have  induced  me  to  go  through  the  same  ordeal  again. 

There  was  still  above  us,  about  five  hundred  feet  high- 
er, a  point  or  pyramid  of  volcanic  rock,  that  stood  out 
over  the  sea  in  a  slanting  direction.  It  was  the  highest 
peak  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  coast,  and  was  called 
the  Nipple.  We  had  done  nothing  yet  compared  with 
the  ascent  of  that  peak.  Both  of  us  looked  toward  it, 
and  smiled. 

"  Shall  we  try  it  ?"  said  Abraham. 

"  No,"  said  I,  "  we  never  could  get  up  there ;  it  would 
be  perfect  folly  to  try." 

"  I  think  not,  Luff ;  it  isn't  so  smooth  as  the  place  we 
have  just  climbed  over.  Don't  you  see  there  are  rocks 
to  hold  on  to  ?" 

"  Yes,  but  they  look  as  if  they'd  give  way.  However, 
if  you  say  so,  we'll  make  the  attempt." 

With  this,  we  each  drew  a  long  breath,  and  com- 
menced climbing  up  the  rocks.  Sometimes  we  dug  our 
fingers  into  the  crevices  and  lifted  ourselves  up,  and 
sometimes  we  wound  around  ledges  less  than  a  foot 
wide,  overhanging  deep  chasms,  and  were  forced  to 
cling  to  the  rough  points  that  jutted  out  in  order  to  keep 
our  balance.  Flocks  of  pigeons  flew  startled  from  their 
nests,  and  whirled  past  us,  as  if  affrighted  at  the  intrusion 
of  man.  Herds  of  wild  goats  dashed  by  us  also,  and  ran 
bleating  down  into  the  rugged  defiles,  where  they  looked 
like  so  many  insects.  The  wind  whistled  mournfully 
against  the  sharp  crags,  and  swept  against  us  in  such 
fierce  and  sudden  gusts  that  we  were  sometimes  obliged 


OS 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


to  stop  and  cling  to  the  rocks  with  all  our  might  to  keep 
from  being  blown  off.  At  last  we  reached  the  base  of 
the  Nipple.  This  was  the  wildest  place  of  all.  Above 
us  stood  the  dizzy  peak,  like  the  turret  of  a  ruined  castle, 
overlooking  the  surf  at  a  height  of  nearly  two  thousand 
feet.  We  now  lay  down  again,  breathing  hard,  and  a 
good  deal  exhausted.  When  partly  recovered,  I  looked 
over  the  edge  toward  Crusoe's  Valley.  It  was  the 
grandest  sight  I  ever  beheld ;  rugged  cliffs  and  winding 
ridges  hundreds  of  feet  below ;  a  green  valley  embow- 
ered in  shrubbery  nestling  beneath  the  heights,  all  calm 
and  smiling  in  the  warm  sunshine ;  slopes  of  woodland 
stretching  up  in  the  ravines ;  a  line  of  white  spray  from 
the  surf  all  along  the  shores,  and  the  boundless  ocean 
outspread  in  one  vast  sweep  beyond. 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  it  is,  Luff,"  said  Abraham,  "  this 
may  be  all  very  fine,  but  I  don't  want  to  try  it  again." 

"  Nor  I  either,  Abraham.    Isn't  it  awful  climbing  ?" 

"  Yes,  awful  enough ;  but  we  must  get  on  the  top  of 
that  old  castle  there." 

"  To  be  sure,"  said  I,  rather  doubtfully.  "  Of  course, 
Abraham ;  we  ought  to  climb  that  as  a  sort  of  climax. 
It  will  make  an  excellent  climax  either  to  ourselves  or 
the  adventure." 

Saying  this,  I  walked  a  few  steps  from  the  place  where 
we  were  lying  down,  to  see  if  there  was  any  way  of  scal- 
ing the  Nipple.  It  appeared  to  be  a  huge  pile  of  loose 
rocks  ready  to  fall  to  pieces  upon  being  touched.  It 
was  about  a  hundred  feet  high,  and  nearly  perpendicular 
all  round.  There  was  no  part  that  seemed  to  me  at  all 
accessible.  Even  the  first  part  or  foundation  could  not 
be  reached  without  passing  over  a  sharp  ridge,  steep  at 
both  sides,  and  entirely  destitute  of  vegetation.  I  was 
not  quite  mad  enough  to  undertake  such  a  thing  as  this 
without  the  least  hope  of  success. 

"  No,  Abraham,"  said  I,  "  we  can't  do  it.  I  see  no 
way  of  getting  up  there." 

"  Let  me  take  a  look,"  said  Abraham,  who  was  always 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


GO 


fertile  in  discoveries.  "I  think  I  see  a  place  that  we 
can  climb  over,  so  as  to  get  on  that  horseback  sort  of  a 
ridge,  and  the  rest  of  the  way  may  be  easier  than  we 
suppose." 

He  then  walked  a  few  steps  round  a  ledge  of  crumbling 
rock,  and  I  soon  saw  him  climbing  up  where  it  seemed 
as  if  there  was  no  possible  way  of  holding  on.  I  actually 
began  to  think  there  was  something  supernatural  in  his 
hands  and  feet ;  yet  I  felt  an  indescribable  dread  that  he 
would  fall  at  last.  For  a  while  I  was  in  perfect  agony ; 
each  moment  I  expected  to  see  him  roll  headlong  over 
the  cliff.  Presently  I  lost  sight  of  him  altogether.  I 
thought  he  had  lost  his  balance,  and  was  dashed  to  atoms 
below !  Seized  with  horror,  I  sat  down  and  groaned 
aloud.  Again  I  rose  and  ran  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff, 
shouting  wildly  in  the  faint  hope  that  he  was  not  yet 
lost.  There  was  no  answer  but  the  wail  of  the  winds 
and  the  moaning  of  the  surf.  "While  I  looked  from  the 
depths  to  the  fearful  height  above,  I  saw  his  head  rise 


ABRAHAM  ON  THE  PEAK. 


70 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


slowly  and  cautiously  over  the  top  of  the  Nipple ;  then 
his  body,  and  then,  with  a  wild  shout  of  triumph,  he 
stood  waving  his  hat  on  the  summit ! 

There  he  stood,  a  man  of  stalwart  frame,  now  no  big- 
ger than  a  dwarf  against  the  sky ! 

I  saw  him  point  toward  the  horizon,  and,  looking  in 
the  direction  of  his  finger,  perceived  the  Anteus  about 
twenty  miles  off  under  short  sail. 

He  remained  but  a  few  minutes  in  this  perilous  posi- 
tion, as  I  supposed  on  account  of  the  wind,  which  was 
now  very  strong. 

On  his  return,  being  unable  to  get  down  on  the  same 
side,  he  was  forced  to  creep  backward  over  the  ridge, 
and  lower  himself  by  fixing  his  hands  in  the  crevices  to 
the  ledge  over  the  sea,  from  which  he  made  his  way 
round  to  the  starting-point.  When  he  reached  the  spot 
where  I  stood,  he  sat  down,  breathing  hard,  and  looking 
very  pale. 

"  Luff,"  said  he,  "  don't  go  up  there.  It  shook  under 
me  like  a  tree.  Every  flaw  of  wind  made  it  sway  as  if 
it  would  topple  over." 

"  Why,"  said  I,  "  after  scaring  me  out  of  my  wits,  it 
isn't  exactly  fair  to  deprive  me  of  some  satisfaction." 

"  Don't  do  it,  Luff;  I  warn  you  as  a  friend !  It  ought 
to  be  satisfaction  enough  to  find  me  here  safe  and  sound, 
after  such  a  climb  as  that." 

"  No,  Abraham,  I  must  do  it ;  because  when  we  re- 
turn to  the  ship,  don't  you  see  what  an  advantage  you'll 
have  over  me  ?" 

"  Only  in  being  the  greater  fool." 

"  Then  there  must  be  two  fools,  to  make  us  even.  It 
would  hardly  be  friendly  to  let  you  be  the  only  one ;  so 
here  goes,  Abraham.  In  case  I  tumble  over,  give  my 
love  to  all  at  home,  and  tell  them  I  died  like  a  Trojan." 

All  this  was  folly,  to  be  sure ;  but  how  could  I  help  it  ? 
how  could  I  bear  the  thought  of  hearing  Abraham  talk 
about  having  scaled  the  Nipple,  while  I  was  ingloriouly 
groaning  for  him  down  below  ?  It  would  mortify  me  to 
the  very  soul. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


71 


Following  now  the  same  path  that  Abraham  had 
taken,  I  was  soon  on  top  of  the  first  elevation ;  for,  be- 
ing lighter  and  more  active,  though  not  so  strong,  I 
had  rather  the  advantage  in  climbing.  Here  I  wound 
round  by  a  different  way,  so  as  to  reach  the  ridge  that 
led  over  the  chasm.  It  was  about  the  width  of  a  horse's 
back,  sloping  down  abruptly  on  each  side.  The  distance 
was  not  over  twenty  feet,  which  I  gained  by  straddling 
the  ridge  and  working  along  by  my  hands.  The  descent 
on  each  side  was,  as  before  stated,  nearly  two  thousand 
feet.  I  need  not  say  it  was  the  most  terrible  ride  I  ever 
had.  Indeed,  when  I  think  of  it  now,  it  brings  up  strange 
and  thrilling  sensations.  How  I  got  over  the  final  peak, 
I  can  hardly  tell ;  it  seems  as  if  I  must  have  been  drunk 
with  excitement,  and  reached  the  summit  by  one  of  those 
mysterious  chances  of  fortune  which  not  unfrequently 
favor  men  whose  minds  are  in  a  morbid  state. 

When  I  looked  down  on  the  waters  of  the  bay,  I  saw 
the  Brooklyn  still  at  anchor.  She  looked  like  some  big 
insect  floating  on  its  back,  with  its  legs  in  the  air  and 
little  insects  running  about  all  over  it.  I  staid  up  on 
the  top  of  the  Nipple  only  a  few  minutes.  The  view  on 
every  side  was  sublime  beyond  all  the  powers  of  lan- 
guage ;  but  a  gust  of  wind  coming,  the  frail  pinnacle  of 
lava  upon  which  I  stood  swayed,  as  Abraham  had  told 
me ;  and,  fearing  it  would  tumble  over,  I  hurried  down 
the  best  way  I  could. 


CHAPTER  X. 

RAMBLE  INTO  THE  INTERIOR. 

Finding  by  the  sun  that  it  was  yet  early  in  the  day, 
we  resolved,  after  resting  awhile,  to  push  on  as  far  as  we 
could  go  into  the  interior.  The  prospect  was  perfectly 
enchanting.  Winding  ridges  and  deep  gorges  lay  be- 
fore us  as  we  looked  back  from  the  ocean ;  and  cool 


7  2 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


glens,  shaded  with  myrtle,  and  open  fields  of  grass  in  the 
soft  haze  below,  and  springs  bubbling  over  the  rocks 
with  a  pleasant  music ;  all  varied,  all  rich  and  tempting. 
Away  we  darted  over  the  rocks,  shouting  with  glee,  so 
irresistible  was  the  feeling  of  freedom  after  our  dreary 
ship-life,  and  so  inspiring  the  freshness  of  the  air  and  the 
wondrous  beauty  of  the  scenery.  The  ridge  upon  which 
our  path  lay  was  barely  wide  enough  for  a  foothold.  It 
was  composed  of  loose  stones  and  crumbling  pieces  of 
clay.  The  precipice  on  the  right  was  nearly  perpen- 
dicular ;  on  the  left  craggy  peaks  reared  their  grizzled 
heads  from  masses  of  dark  green  shrubbery,  like  the  tur- 
rets of  ancient  castles  shaken  to  ruin  by  the  tempests  of 
ages.  Sometimes  we  had  to  get  down  on  our  hands  and 
knees,  and  creep  over  the  narrow  goat-paths  for  twenty 
or  thirty  feet,  holding  on  by  the  roots  and  shrubs  that 
grew  in  the  crevices  of  the  rocks,  and  at  intervals  force 
ourselves  through  jungles  of  bushes  so  closely  inter- 
woven that  for  half  an  hour  we  could  scarcely  gain  a 
hundred  yards.  About  three  miles  back  from  the  sea- 
coast,  having  labored  hard  to  reach  a  high  point  over- 
looking one  of  the  interior  valleys,  we  were  stopped  by 
an  abrupt  rampart  of  rocks.  Here  we  had  to  look  about 
us,  and  consider  a  long  time  how  we  were  to  get  over  it. 

We  now  began  to  suffer  all  the  tortures  of  thirst 
after  our  perilous  adventure  on  the  Nipple,  and  our  sub- 
sequent struggle  through  the  bushes  and  along  the  ridge. 
There  was  no  sign  of  a  spring  any  where  near ;  the  cliffs 
were  bleached  with  the  wind,  and  not  so  much  as  a  drop 
of  water  could  be  found  in  any  of  the  hollows  that  had 
been  washed  in  the  rocks  by  the  rain.  In  this  extremity 
we  sat  down  on  a  bank  of  moss,  ready  to  die  of  thirst, 
and  began  to  think  we  would  have  to  return  without 
getting  a  sight  of  the  valley  on  the  other  side  of  the  cliff, 
when  I  observed  a  curious  plant  close  by,  nearly  cover- 
ed with  great  bowl-shaped  leaves. 

"  Abraham,"  said  I,  "  may  be  there's  water  there !" 

"  May  be  there  is,"  said  Abraham ;  "  let  us  look." 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


73 


We  jumped  up  and  ran  over  to  where  the  strange 
plant  was.  and  there  we  beheld  the  leaves  half  full  of  fine 
clear  water ! 

"  There !  what  do  you  think  of  that,  Abraham  ?  Isn't 
it  refreshing  ?  You  see  it  requires  a  person  like  me  to 
find  fresh  water  on  the  top  of  a  mountain  where  there 
are  no  springs." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  quoth  Abraham,  slowly,  "  but  may  be  it's 
poison." 

"  Sure  enough — may  be  it  is  !  I  didn't  think  of  that," 
said  I,  very  much  startled  at  the  idea  of  drinking  poison. 
"  Suppose  you  drink  some  and  try.  If  it  doesn't  do  you 
any  harm,  I'll  drink  some  myself  in  about  half  an  hour." 

"Well,  I  would  like  a  good  drink,"  said  Abraham, 
thoughtfully ;  "  there's  no  denying  that.  But  it  always 
goes  better  when  I  have  a  friend  to  join  me.  I'll  tell 
you  what  I'll  do,  Luff.  You  take  one  bowl  and  I'll  take 
another,  and  wre'll  sit  down  here  and  call  it  whisky 
punch,  and  both  drink  at  the  same  time." 

"  Very  good,"  said  I,  "  that's  a  fair  bargain.  Come 
on,  Abraham." 

So  we  cut  the  stems  of  two  large  leaves,  containing 
each  about  a  pint  of  water,  and  sat  down  on  a  rock. 

"  Your  health,"  said  I,  raising  my  bowl ;  "  long  life 
and  happiness  to  you,  Abraham  !" 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Abraham ;  "  the  same  to  you !" 

"Why  don't  you  drink?"  I  asked,  seeing  that  my 
friend  kept  looking  at  me  without  touching  the  contents 
of  the  bowl. 

"  I'm  going  to  drink  presently." 

"  Drink  away,  then !" 

"Here  goes!" 

But  it  was  not  "  here  goes,"  for  he  still  kept  looking 
at  me  without  drinking. 

"  Well,"  said  I,  impatiently,  "  what  are  you  afraid  of?" 

"  I'm  not  afraid,"  cried  Abraham,  "  but  I  don't  see  you 
drinking." 

"  Nonsense,  man  !    I'm  waiting  for  you  !" 

D 


74 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


"  Go  ahead,  then." 
"  Go  ahead." 

Here  there  was  a  long  pause,  and  we  watched  each 
other  with  great  attention.  At  last,  entirely  out  of  pa- 
tience, I  lowered  my  bowl  and  said, 

"Abraham,  do  you  want  me  to  poison  myself?" 

"No,  I  don't,"  said  Abraham;  "I'd  be  very  sorry  for  it." 

"  Then  why  did  you  propose  that  we  should  drink  this 
poison  together  ?  for  I  verily  believe  it  must  be  poison, 
or  it  wouldn't  look  so  tempting." 

"Because  you  wanted  me  to  drink  it  first." 

"Did  I?  Give  me  your  hand,  Abraham;  I  forgot 
that."  Whereupon  we  shook  hands,  and  agreed  to  con- 
sider it  not  whisky  punfch,  but  poison,  and  drink  none 
at  all. 

Our  thirst  increasing  to  a  painful  degree,  we  were 
about  to  retrace  our  steps,  when  I  observed  a  little  bird 
perch  himself  upon  the  edge  of  a  leaf  not  fur  off,  and 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


,  5 


commence  drinking  from  the  hollow.  I  told  Abraham 
to  look. 

"Sure  enough,"  said  he,  "birds  don't  drink  whisky 
punch." 

"  No,"  said  I,  "  God  Almighty  never  made  a  bird  or  a 
four-legged  beast  yet  that  would  naturally  drink  punch 
or  any  other  kind  of  poison.  It  must  be  water,  and 
good  water  too,  for  birds  have  more  sense  than  men 
about  what  they  drink.  So  here  goes,  whether  you  join 
or  not." 

"  And  here  goes  too  !"  cried  Abraham ;  and  we  both, 
without  hesitating  any  longer,  emptied  our  bowls  to  the 
bottom;  and  so  pure  and  delicious  was  the  water  that 
we  emptied  half  a  dozen  leavesful  more,  and  never  felt 
a  bit  afraid  that  it  would  hurt  us ;  for  we  knew  then 
that  God  had  made  these  cups  of  living  green,  and  filled 
them  with  water  fresh  from  the  heavens  for  the  good  of 
His  creatures. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  VALLEY  OF  ENCHANTMENT. 

Thus  refreshed,  we  set  to  work  boldly,  and,  by  dint 
of  hard  climbing,  reached  the  top  of  the  cliff.  It  was  the 
highest  point  on  the  island  next  to  the  Peak  of  Yonka. 
We  looked  over  the  edge  and  down  into  a  lovely  valley 
covered  with  grass.  Wooded  ravines  sloped  into  it  on 
every  side,  and  streams  wound  through  it  hedged  with 
bushes,  and  all  around  us  the  air  was  filled  with  a  sweet 
scent  of  wild  flowers.  In  that  secluded  valley,  so  sel- 
dom trodden  by  the  foot  of  man,  we  saw  how  much  of 
beauty  lay  yet  unrevealed  upon  earth ;  and  our  souls 
were  filled  with  an  abiding  happiness :  for  time  might 
dim  the  mortal  eye ;  the  freshness  of  youth  might  pass 
away ;  all  the  bright  promises  of  life  might  leave  us  in 
the  future ;  but  there  was  a  resting-place  there  for  the 


76 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


memory  ;  an  impression,  made  by  the  Divine  hand  with- 
in, that  could  never  fade ;  a  glimpse  in  our  earthly  pil- 
grimage of  that  promised  land  where  there  is  harmony 
without  end — beauty  without  blemish — joy  beyond  all 
that  man  hath  conceived. 

Nothing  was  here  of  that  stern  and  inhospitable  char- 
acter that  marked  the  rock-bound  shores  of  the  island. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


11 


A  soft  haze  hung  over  the  valley  ;  a  happy  quiet  reigned 
in  the  perfumed  air ;  the  breath  of  heaven  touched  gen- 
tly the  flowers  that  bloomed  upon  the  sod  ;  all  was  fresh 
and  fair,  and  full  of  romantic  beauty.  Yet  there  was  life 
in  the  repose ;  abundance  within  the  maze  of  heights 
that  encircled  the  dreamy  solitude.  Fields  of  wild  oats 
waved  with  changing  colors  on  the  hill-sides ;  green 
meadows  swept  around  the  bases  of  the  mountains ;  rich 
and  fragrant  shrubs  bloomed  wherever  we  looked ;  fair 
flowers  and  running  vines  hung  over  the  brows  of  the 
rocks,  crowning  them  as  with  a  garland ;  and  springs 
burst  out  from  the  cool  earth  and  fell  in  white  mist  down 
into  the  groves  of  myrtle  below,  and  were  lost  in  the 
shade.  Nowhere  was  there  a  trace  of  man's  intrusion. 
Wild  horses,  snuffing  the  air,  dashed  out  into  the  valley 
in  all  the  joyousness  of  their  freedom,  flinging  back  their 
manes  and  tossing  their  heads  proudly ;  and  when  they 
beheld  us,  they  started  suddenly,  and  fled  up  the  mount- 
ains beyond.  Herds  of  goats  ran  along  the  rugged  de- 
clivities below  us,  looking  scarcely  bigger  than  rabbits ; 
and  birds  of  bright  and  beautiful  plumage  flew  close 
around  our  heads,  and  lit  upon  the  trees.  It  was  a  fair 
scene,  untouched  by  profaning  hands ;  fair  and  solitary, 
and  lovely  in  its  solitude  as  the  happy  valley  of  Rasselas. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  STRANGE  DISCOVERY. 

While  I  was  trying  to  make  a  sketch  of  this  Valley 
of  Enchantment,  as  we  called  it,  Abraham  was  peering 
over  the  cliff,  and  looking  about  in  every  direction  in 
search  of  some  ruin  or  relic  of  habitation.  He  was  not 
naturally  of  a  romantic  turn,  but  he  had  a  keen  eye  for 
every  thing  strange  and  out  of  the  way,  and  an  insatiable 
thirst  for  the  discovery  of  natural  curiosities.  Already 
his  pockets  were  full  of  roots  and  pieces  of  rock ;  and  it 


78 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


was  only  by  the  utmost  persuasion  that  I  could  prevent 
him  from  carrying  a  lump  of  lava  that  must  have  weigh- 
ed twenty  pounds.  Without  any  cause,  so  far  as  I  could 
see,  he  began  stamping  upon  the  ground,  and  then,  pick- 
ing up  a  big  stone,  he  rolled  it  over  the  edge  of  the  cliff, 
and  eagerly  peeped  after  it,  holding  both  hands  to  his 
ears  as  if  to  listen. 

"  What's  that,  Abraham  ?"  said  I ;  "  you  are  certainly 
losing  your  writs." 

"  I  knew  it !  I  knew  it !"  he  cried,  greatly  excited ; 
"  it's  perfectly  hollow.    There's  a  natural  castle  in  it !" 

"  Where  ?  in  your  head  ?" 

"  No,  in  the  cliff  here ;  it's  all  hollow — a  regular  old 
castle  !  Come  on  !  come  on,  Luff!  We're  bound  to  ex- 
plore it.  May  be  we'll  rake  up  something  worth  seeing 
yet !"  Saying  which,  he  bounded  down  a  narrow  ledge 
on  the  left,  and  I,  as  a  matter  of  course,  followed.  Our 
path  was  not  the  most  secure,  winding  as  it  did  over  an 
abyss  some  hundreds  of  feet  in  a  direct  fall ;  but  our 
previous  experience  enabled  us  to  spring  over  the  rocks 
with  wonderful  agility,  and  w<ork  our  wTay  down  the 
more  difficult  passes  in  a  manner  that  would  have  done 
credit  to  animals  wTith  four  legs.  Portions  of  the  earth 
formed  a  kind  of  narrow  stairway,  so  distinct  and  regu- 
lar that  we  almost  thought  it  must  be  of  artificial  con- 
struction. In  about  ten  minutes  we  reached  a  broad 
ledge  underneath  the  brow  of  the  cliff.  Turning  our 
backs  to  the  precipice,  we  saw  a  spacious  cavity  in  the 
rocks,  shaped  a  good  deal  like  an  immense  Gothic  door- 
way, all  overhung  with  vines  and  wild  fern. 

"  I  knew  it !"  cried  Abraham,  enthusiastically.  "  A 
regular  old  castle,  by  all  that's  wonderful!  Crusoe's 
cave  is  nothing  to  it!  Just  see  what  a  splendid  en- 
trance ;  wrhat  ancient  turrets ;  what  glorious  old  walls 
of  solid  rock !" 

"  Verily,  it  does  look  like  a  castle,"  said  I.  "  We  must 
call  it  the  Castle  of  Abraham,  in  honor  of  the  discov- 
erer." 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


79 


M  Yes,  but  it  strikes  me  there  may  be  another  discov- 
erer already.    Look  at  these  marks  on  the  rock!" 

"  True  enough ;  goats  never  make  marks  like  these !" 
Xear  the  mouth  or  entrance  of  the  grotto,  traced  in 
black  lines,  evidently  with  a  burnt  stick,  we  saw  a  num- 
ber of  curious  designs,  so  defaced  by  the  dripping  of  wa- 
ter from  above  that  we  were  unable  for  some  time  to 
make  out  that  they  had  any  meaning.  At  length,  by 
carefully  following  the  darkest  parts,  we  got  some  clew 
to  the  principal  objects  intended  to  be  represented,  which 
were  very  clumsily  drawn,  as  if  by  an  unskillful  hand. 
There  was  a  figure  of  a  man,  lying  upon  a  horizontal  line, 
with  his  face  turned  upward ;  the  limbs  were  twisted 
and  broken,  and  the  expression  of  the  features  was  that 
of  extreme  agony  ;  the  eyes  were  closed,  the  back  of  the 
head  crushed  in,  the  mouth  partly  open,  and  the  tongue 
hanging  out.  One  hand  grasped  a  jagged  rock,  the 
other  a  knife  with  a  part  of  the  blade  broken  off.  Close 
by,  with  its  head  upon  his  feet,  was  the  skeleton  of  a 
strange  animal,  so  rudely  sketched  that  we  could  hardly 
tell  whether  it  was  intended  for  a  goat  or  not.  It  had 
the  horns  of  a  goat,  but  the  eyes,  turning  upward  in  their 
sockets,  looked  like  those  of  a  child  that  had  died  some 
horrible  death.  Waving  lines  were  drawn  some  dis- 
tance off,  as  representing  the  sea  in  a  storm ;  a  large  ship 
under  sail  was  standing  off  in  the  foam  from  a  pile  of 
rocks  that  rose  out  of  the  sea  like  a  desolate  island. 
The  body  of  a  man  could  be  seen  under  the  waves, 
struggling  toward  the  ship ;  a  shark  was  tearing  the 
flesh  from  his  legs,  and  the  hands  were  thrown  up  wild- 
ly over  the  water.  Underneath  the  whole  were  several 
rude  sketches  of  human  hearts,  pierced  through  with 
knives.  A  hand  pointed  upward  at  the  figure  first  de- 
scribed. It  had  a  ring  on  the  forefinger ;  the  tendons 
of  the  wrist  hung  down,  as  if  wrenched  from  the  arm  by 
some  instrument  of  torture.  Around  these  strange  de- 
signs were  numerous  others,  representing  the  heads  of 
eagles ;  a  famished  wolf,  gnawing  its  own  flesh ;  and  the 


80 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


corpses  of  two  children,  strangled  with  a  rope ;  besides 
other  rude  sketches  of  which  we  could  make  nothing; 
and,  indeed,  some  of  these  already  mentioned  were  so  in- 
distinct, that  we  were  forced  to  depend  a  good  deal  on 
conjecture  in  order  to  come  to  any  conclusion  in  regard 
to  what  they  were  intended  to  represent ;  so  that  I  have 
given  but  a  vague  idea,  at  best,  of  the  whole  thing. 

"There's  something  strange  about  this,"  said  Abra- 
ham, trembling  all  over  ;  "  something  more  than  we  may 
like  to  see.  Let  us  go  into  the  cave,  and  try  if  we  can 
solve  the  mystery." 

"  I  don't  think  there's  much  mystery  about  it,"  said  I ; 
"  evidently  some  sailor  who  ran  away  from  a  ship  has 
occupied  this  as  a  hiding-place  ;  these  strange  designs 
he  has  doubtless  made  in  some  idle  hour,  to  represent 
scenes  in  his  own  life.  The  fellow  had  a  bad  conscience 
— he  has  left  the  mark  of  it  here." 

"  He  may  have  left  more  than  that,"  said  Abraham, 
seriously;  "he  may  have  fallen  from  one  of  these  rocks, 
and  lain  here  for  days,  helpless  and  dying:  in  the  agonies 
of  thirst,  driven  delirious  by  fever,  he  tried,  perhaps,  to 
tell  by  these  signs  how  he  died.  If  I'm  not  mistaken, 
we'll  find  some  farther  clew  to  this  affair  within  there. 
Let  us  see,  at  all  events."  * 

We  then  went  into  the  cave,  and  looked  around  us  as 
far  as  the  light  reached.  It  was  very  lofty  and  spacious, 
and  made  a  short  turn  at  the  back  part,  so  that  all  be- 
yond was  quite  wrapt  in  darkness.  Weeds  hung  in 
crevices  of  the  dank  walls  of  rock  ;  a  few  footprints  of 
animals  were  marked  in  the  ground,  some  slimy  tracks 
were  made  over  the  rocks  by  snails,  and  these,  together 
with  a  dull  sound  of  the  flapping  of  wings  made  by  a 
number  of  bats  that  hung  overhead,  had  a  very  gloomy 
effect.  However,  seeing  nothing  else  in  the  front  part 
of  the  cave,  we  groped  our  way  back  into  the  dark  pas- 
sage at  the  end,  and  followed  it  up  till  we  reached  a  sort 
of  natural  stairway  leading  into  an  upper  chamber.  For 
some  time  we  hesitated  about  going  up  here,  thinking 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


81 


there  might  be  a  hole  or  break  in  the  rocks  through 
which  by  mischance  we  might  fall,  and  be  cast  down 
into  some  vault  or  fissure  underneath.  After  a  while  our 
eyes  got  a  little  used  to  the  darkness,  and  we  thought 
we  could  discern  the  chamber  a  few  steps  above  into 
which  this  stairway  led ;  so  we  crept  up  cautiously,  feel- 
ing our  way  as  we  went,  and  as  soon  as  we  found  that 
the  ground  was  level  we  stood  upon  our  feet,  and  per- 
ceived, from  the  height  above  us,  and  the  vacancy  all 
around,  that  we  were  in  a  spacious  apartment  of  the  cav- 
ern. There  still  being  some  danger  of  falling  through, 
as  we  discerned  by  the  hollow  sound  made  by  our  feet, 
we  only  went  a  short  distance  beyond  the  entrance, 
when  we  stopped  still  on  account  of  the  darkness,  which 
was  now  quite  impenetrable. 

"  A  queer  place !"  said  Abraham  ;  "  very  like  one  of 
the  piratical  retreats  you  read  about  in  novels." 

"  Very,  indeed,  and  quite  as  unlike  reality,"  said  I ; 
"  it  doesn't  seem  to  be  inhabited  by  pirates  now,  though, 
or  any  thing  else  except  bats.  I  wish  we  had  a  torch, 
Abraham,  for  I  vow  I  can't  see  an  inch  before  me." 

"  That's  not  a  bad  idea,"  said  Abraham ;  "  I  think  I 
have  a  match  in  my  pocket,  but  it  won't  do  to  run  the 
risk  of  missing  fire  here.  Wait  a  bit,  Luff;  I'll  go  back 
to  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  and  rake  up  some  brush- wood. 
We'll  have  some  light  on  the  subject  presently — if  the 
match  don't  miss  fire." 

Abraham  then  crept  back  the  way  we  came,  as  I  sup- 
posed, for  I  could  see  nothing  in  any  direction,  and  only 
heard  a  dull  echo  around  the  walls  of  rock,  growing 
fainter  and  fainter,  till  all  I  was  sensible  of  was  the  flit- 
ting of  some  bats  by  my  head,  and  the  breath  passing 
through  my  nostrils.  To  tell  the  honest  truth,  I  felt 
some  very  queer  sensations  steal  over  me  upon  finding 
myself  all  alone  in  this  dark  hole,  unable  to  see  so  much 
as  my  hand  within  an  inch  of  my  eyes,  and  not  knowing 
but  the  first  thing  I  felt  might  be  a  snake  or  tarentula 
creeping  up  my  legs,  or  the  bite  of  some  monstrous  bat. 

D  2 


82 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


I  waited  with  great  impatience,  without  daring  to  move, 
lest  I  should  miss  the  way  back  and  fall  through  the 
earth ;  for  in  the  confusion  of  my  thoughts  I  had  lost 
all  knowledge  of  the  direction  of  the  entrance,  and  this 
very  thing,  perhaps,  caused  me  to  magnify  the  time  as  it 
elapsed.  It  seemed  to  me  that  Abraham  would  never 
return,  he  staid  away  so  long,  and  this  brought  up  some 
strange  and  startling  thoughts.  Suppose,  in  his  search 
for  the  brush-wood,  he  had  slipped  off  the  ledge  in  front 
of  the  cave?  Suppose  he  had  lost  his  footing  in  the 
dark  passage  on  the  way  out,  and  fallen  into  some  un- 
fathomable depth  below  ?  Suppose  a  gang  of  wild  dogs, 
driven  to  desperation  by  hunger,  had  seized  him,  and 
were  now,  with  all  their  wolfish  instincts,  tearing  him  to 
pieces  ?  The  more  I  thought,  the  more  vague  and  ter- 
rible became  my  conjectures ;  till,  no  longer  able  to  en- 
dure the  torture  of  suspense,  I  shouted  his  name  with 
all  my  might.  There  was  no  answer  but  the  startling 
echoes  of  my  own  voice,  which  seemed  to  mock  me  in  a 
thousand  different  directions.  I  shouted  again,  and  again 
there  was  the  same  fearful  reverberation  of  voices,  grow- 
ing fainter  and  fainter  till  they  seemed  to  die  upon  the 
air,  like  the  passing  away  of  hope.  I  now  began  to  peer 
through  the  darkness  in  all  directions,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  retracing  my  steps  should  I  discover  any  indi- 
cation of  the  entrance  by  which  to  direct  my  course. 
At  first  it  appeared  as  if  the  darkness  was  of  the  same 
density  all  round,  but  gradually,  as  I  strained  my  eyes,  I 
thought  I  perceived  a  faint  glimmer  of  light,  and  thither 
I  cautiously  made  my  way,  groping  about  with  my  hands 
as  I  advanced. 

In  a  few  moments  I  felt,  by  a  rush  of  air,  that  I  was  near 
an  opening,  and  the  light  growing  stronger  at  the  same 
time,  I  soon  perceived  that  it  led  downward  in  a  slant- 
ing direction,  in  the  same  way  as  the  passage  through 
which  we  had  come  up.  I  was  now  satisfied  that  there 
would  be  no  farther  difficulty  in  getting  out,  and  having 
no  cause  to  imagine  that  the  place  had  changed,  began 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


83 


to  descend  as  rapidly  as  possible.  All  of  a  sudden  my 
feet  slipped  from  under  me,  and  I  went  flying  down  a 
sort  of  chute,  without  any  power  to  stop  myself,  and  so 
terrible  was  the  sensation  that  I  was  perfectly  speech- 
less, though  conscious  all  the  time.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  this  suspense,  for  I  struck  bottom  almost  at 
the  next  moment,  and  went  rolling  over  headlong  into 
an  open  space.  As  soon  as  I  looked  around  me,  I  per- 
ceived a  cleft  in  the  rocks,  some  fifteen  feet  above, 
through  which  there  was  a  dim  ray  of  light,  and  this,  as 
I  took  it,  was  what  had  misled  me.  My  sight  being 
rather  confused,  I  now  began  to  grope  around  me,  in 
order  to  ascertain  if  there  were  any  more  holes  near  by, 
when  I  discovered  that  there  was  straw  scattered  about 
over  the  ground.  Instinctively  I  thought  about  the 
strange  marks  on  the  rocks  near  the  mouth  of  the  cave. 
Now  if  there  should  be  a  dead  body  here,  or  a  skeleton  ! 
What  a  companion  in  this  lonely  dungeon !  A  cold 
tremor  ran  through  me,  and  I  actually  thought  that, 
should  I  accidentally  touch  the  clammy  flesh  of  a  corpse 
in  such  a  place,  it  would  drive  me  mad.  For  a  while  I 
scarcely  dared  to  look  around,  but  the  absolute  necessity 
of  finding  some  place  of  exit  at  last  overcame  my  appre- 
hensions. The  light  from  above  was  quite  faint,  as  be- 
fore stated,  but  yet  sufficient,  upon  getting  used  to  it,  to 
enable  me  to  perceive  that  I  was  in  a  sort  of  chamber 
about  fifteen  feet  in  diameter,  closed  on  every  side  ex- 
cept where  I  had  so  unexpectedly  entered ;  and  I  was 
greatly  relieved  to  find  that  there  was  nothing  on  the 
ground  but  a  thin  layer  of  straw  scattered  about  here 
and  there,  and  a  few  pieces  of  wood  partly  burned.  I  lost 
no  time  in  making  my  way  into  the  chute  again,  which 
I  found  but  little  difficulty  in  ascending,  for  it  was  not 
so  steep  as  I  had  supposed.  Upon  regaining  the  large 
apartment  from  which  I  had  wandered,  I  heard  the  muf- 
fled echoes  of  a  voice  coming,  as  I  thought,  from  the 
depths  below.  They  soon  grew  louder,  and  I  noticed  a 
reddish  light  faintly  shining  upon  the  dark  masses  of 


84 


CRUSOE  8  I8LAND. 


rock.  Could  it  be  Abraham  ?  Surely  it  must  be,  for  I 
now  heard  my  name  distinctly  called. 

"  Halloo  there,  Luff*!  Where  are  you,  Luff?  Why 
don't  you  come  on  ?" 

"  I'm  coming,"  said  I,  making  a  rapid  rush  toward  the 
light,  "  as  fast  as  I  can." 

"  All  right !"  said  Abraham  ;  "  come  on  quick !" 

It  was  not  long,  as  may  be  supposed,  before  I  was 
scrambling  down  the  rough  stairway  of  rocks  by  which 
we  had  originally  entered  the  mysterious  chamber ;  and 
the  next  moment  I  was  standing  before  Abraham  in  the 
passage,  which  was  now  no  longer  dark,  for  it  was  lit  up 
with  a  tremendous  torch  of  brush-wood,  which  he  held 
in  both  hands. 

"Why,  where  in  the  name  of  sense  have  you  been?" 
cried  he,  rather  excited,  as  I  thought ;  "  what  have  you 
been  doing  all  this  time  ?" 

"Doing  ?"  said  I ;  "  only  exploring  the  cave,  Abraham 
— hunting  up  curiosities  for  pastime." 

"  Nonsense !  I've  been  calling  at  you  for  ten  minutes. 
I  didn't  want  to  leave  the  torch,  or  I'd  have  gone  up 
after  you  ;  for  I  couldn't  hold  it  and  use  my  hands  at  the 
same  time,  and  I  thought  if  it  went  out  we  couldn't  light 
it  up  again.  Besides,  I've  found  a  treasure — a  treasure, 
Luff,  beyond  all  price." 

"  What  is  it,  Abraham — a  lump  of  gold  ?" 

"  Pooh  !  gold  couldn't  buy  it !  A  skull,  sir — a  human 
skull !    That's  what  I've  found  !" 

"  Only  a  skull  ?  I  came  near  finding  the  whole  body," 
said  I,  involuntarily  shuddering  as  I  thought  of  the 
gloomy  chamber  with  the  straw  in  it;  "I'm  quite  cer- 
tain I'd  have  found  the  entire  corpse  if  it  had  been 
there." 

"  But  this  is  a  real  skull,  Luff.  It's  no  subject  for  tri- 
fling. Some  poor  fellow  has  left  his  bones  here,  as  I 
suspected." 

We  then  went  out  to  the  front  of  the  cave.  Not  far 
from  the  entrance  was  a  hole  somewhat  larger  than  a 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


85 


man's  body,  which  I  had  not  noticed  before,  and  into 
which  Abraham  now  crept  with  the  torch,  telling  me  to 
follow.  It  was  not  long  before  we  entered  a  cell  or 
chamber  large  enough  to  stand  up  in,  the  floor  of  which 
was  littered  with  straw. 

"  I  found  it  here,  Luff ;  here  in  this  straw — the  upper 
part  of  a  man's  skull.    Look  at  it." 

Here  Abraham  removed  some  of  the  straw,  and  there, 
indeed,  lay  the  frontal  part  of  a  skull. 

"I  found  it  just  as  it  lies.    I  put  it  back  exactly  in 


the  same  position.  I  wanted  you  to  see  how  the  man 
died — poor  fellow !  a  sad  death  he  had  of  it  all  alone 
here." 

Upon  this  I  took  up  the  skull  and  examined  it.  The 
forehead  was  small  and  low,  and  the  whole  formation  of 
the  upper  part  of  the  face  somewhat  singular.  There 
was  not  sufficient  of  the  lower  part  left  to  tell  precisely 
whether  it  was  the  skull  of  a  white  man  or  of  a  negro. 
I  thought  it  must  be  that  of  a  negro,  from  the  size  of 
the  animal  organs.  Abraham,  however,  considered  it 
the  skull  of  a  white  man,  on  account  of  the  whiteness  of 
the  bone. 

The  torch  being  now  burned  out,  we  bethought  our- 
selves of  starting  toward  the  valley  of  the  huts,  for  we 
had  no  time  to  indulge  in  melancholy  reflection  on  what 


THE  SKULL. 


^0 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


remained  of  the  poor  sailor,  or  follow  up  the  train  of 
thought  suggested  by  his  unhappy  fate.  Abraham  care, 
fully  wrapped  the  skull  in  his  handkerchief,  and  put  it  in 
a  large  pocket  that  he  had  in  his  coat,  declaring,  as  we 
set  out  on  our  return  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  that  a  thou- 
sand dollars  would  not  induce  him  to  part  with  so  rare 
and  valuable  a  curiosity. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  STOKM  AND  ESCAPE. 

When  we  reached  the  summit  of  the  cliff,  and  looked 
over  once  more  into  the  enchanted  valley,  we  could  hard- 
ly believe  that  such  a  change  as  we  beheld  could  have 
taken  place  during  our  absence.  That  scene  of  beauty 
upon  which  we  had  lingered  with  so  much  pleasure  now 
seemed  to  be  a  moving  ocean  of  clouds,  ingulfing  ev- 
ery visible  point  in  its  billows  of  mist,  raging  and  foam- 
ing as  it  swelled  up  over  the  heights ;  the  wild  roar  of 
the  tempest  vibrating  fiercely  through  the  air — the  very 
rocks  upon  which  we  stood  trembling  in  the  dread  com- 
ing of  its  wrath.  While  we  gazed  in  silence  upon 
the  wilderness  of  surging  billows,  the  whole  island  be- 
came hidden  in  mist ;  and  that  happy  valley,  so  lovely 
in  its  solitude  but  a  brief  hour  before,  so  calm  in  its  slum- 
bering beauty,  so  softly  steeped  in  sunshine,  was  now 
buried  in  the  fierce  conflict  of  the  elements.  Nothing 
was  to  be  seen  but  an  ocean  of  misty  surf  below,  and  a 
wilderness  of  dark  clouds  flying  madly  overhead.  It 
seemed  as  if  we  had  been  suddenly  cut  off  from  the 
world,  and  left  floating  on  a  huge  mass  of  burned  rock, 
in  a  chaos  of  convulsed  elements.  On  every  side  the 
impenetrable  mists  covered  the  depths,  and  it  needed 
but  a  single  step  to  open  to  us  the  mysteries  of  eternity. 

The  storm  set  in  upon  us  in  fierce  and  sudden  gusts, 
driving  us  down  for  safety  upon  the  lee  of  the  rock.  No 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


87 


longer  able  to  stand  upright,  we  cowered  beneath  the 
shelter  which  we  found  there,  and  so  bided  our  time. 
From  all  we  could  judge,  there  was  no  appearance  of  a 
change  for  the  better.  As  soon  as  there  was  a  lull,  we 
hurried  on  along  the  ridge,  in  the  hope  of  reaching  the 
valley  of  the  huts  before  dark,  for  we  had  eaten  nothing 
since  morning,  and  were  not  prepared  to  spend  the  night 
in  these  wild  mountains.  After  infinite  climbing  and 
toil,  we  came  to  a  part  of  the  path  where  there  were 
neither  trees  nor  bushes.  It  was  about  half  a  mile  in 
length,  and  was  exposed  to  the  full  fury  of  the  gale. 
About  midway  we  were  attacked  by  a  terrific  gust  of 
wind  and  deluge  of  rain,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty 
we  could  retain  our  foothold.  The  rain  swashed  against 
us  with  resistless  power,  driving  us  down  upon  our 
hands  and  knees  in  its  fury,  while  it  surged  and  foamed 
over  us  like  a  white  sea  in  a  typhoon.  Blinded  and 
dizzy,  we  rose  again  and  rushed  on,  staggering  in  the 
fierce  bursts  of  the  tempest,  and  gasping  for  breath  in 
the  deluge  of  spray.  How  we  lived  through  it  I  know 
not;  how  it  was  that  we  were  not  casfover  into  the 
abyss  that  threatened  to  devour  us,  there  is  but  One  who 
knows,  for  no  eye  but  His  was  upon  us.  Breathless,  and 
blinded  with  the  scourging  waters,  wTe  staggered  against 
a  large  rock.  Here  we  fell  upon  our  knees,  no  longer 
able  to  contend  against  the  tempest,  and  clung  to  the 
bushes  that  grew  in  its  clefts,  while  we  silently  appealed 
to  Him  who  holds  the  winds  in  the  hollow  of  His  hands 
to  take  pity  upon  us,  and  cast  us  not  away  in  His  wrath. 

The  worst  part  of  the  path  being  yet  before  us,  where 
we  had  previously  found  it  difficult  to  get  over  in  good 
weather,  we  determined  upon  trying  the  steep  descent 
on  the  right,  leading  directly  into  the  valley  of  the  huts. 
It  was  almost  a  perfect  precipice,  and  was  bare  and 
smooth  for  three  hundred  yards,  where  it  ran  out  into  a 
kind  of  ledge,  covered  with  a  stunted  growth  of  trees. 
If  we  could  reach  the  grove  we  would  be  safe ;  but  be- 
tween us  lay  a  steep  and  precipitous  field  of  loose  earth, 


88 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


smoothed  into  a  bank  of  mud  by  the  rains.  As  we  had 
no  alternative,  we  began  the  descent  as  cautiously  as 
possible,  thrusting  our  toes  and  fingers  into  the  clay,  and 
letting  ourselves  down  by  degrees  for  fifty  or  a  hundred 
feet  at  a  time,  when  we  stopped  a  while  to  look  below 
us.  Such  was  the  roar  of  the  storm  that  I  hardly  knew 
whether  Abraham  was  by  me  or  not,  when,  hearing  a 
loud  shout,  I  looked  round  and  beheld  him  flying  down 
the  precipice  with  the  velocity  of  lightning.  "  Oh !  he'll 
be  killed !"  I  exclaimed  ;  "  he'll  be  killed  !  Oh  !  what  a 
dreadful  death !"  At  the  same  moment  I  felt  my  hold 
give  way,  and  I  dashed  after  him  in  spite  of  myself, 
grasping  madly  at  the  loose  earth,  and  shouting  wildly 
for  somebody  to  stop  me.  It  was  a  fearful  chase — a 
chase  of  life  or  death  !  On  we  sped,  upheaving  the  loose 
masses  of  sod,  and  whizzing  through  the  tempest  as  we 
flew  ;  grasping  desperately  at  every  rock,  tearing  up  the 
shrubs  that  grew  in  the  clefts,  and  dashing  blindly  over 
gaping  fissures  that  lay  hidden  with  the  grass.  Great 
masses  of  burned  rock  went  smoking  down  into  the 
chaos  of  mist  below,  crashing  and  thundering  as  they 
fell.  On,  and  still  on,  in  our  wild  career  we  sped,  with 
the  vision  of  death  flitting  grimly  before  us!  Atoms 
we  were  in  the  strife  of  elements,  whirled  powerless  into 
the  dark  abyss.  There  was  a  confused  crash  of  bushes ; 
a  stunning  sensation — a  sudden  check — a  jarring  of  the 
brain — and  all  was  still !  I  looked,  and  saw  that  I  was 
safe.  The  grove  was  around  me.  Consciousness  re- 
turned as  I  clung  panting  to  the  trees ;  life  was  given  yet; 
the  vision  of  death  fled  in  the  mists  of  the  tempest.* 

*  It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  in  many  parts  of  the  island 
the  soil  was  loose,  and  undermined  by  holes,  and  the  rock  Aveathered 
almost  to  rottenness.  Pursuing  a  goat  once  in  one  of  these  danger- 
ous places,  the  bushy  brink  of  a  precipice  to  which  he  had  followed  it 
crumbled  beneath  him,  and  he  and  the  goat  fell  together  from  a  great 
height.  He  lay  stunned  and  senseless  at  the  foot  of  the  rock  for  a 
great  while — not  less  than  twenty  hours,  he  thought,  from  the  change 
of  position  in  the  sun,  but  the  precise  length  of  time  he  had  no  means 
of  ascertaining.    When  he  recovered  his  senses  he  found  the  goat  ly- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


89 


For  a  moment,  dizzy  and  confused,  I  clung  to  a  tree, 
and  offered  up  my  inward  thanks  to  that  Providence 
which  had  spared  me  through  the  fearful  ordeal.  Then, 
hearing  the  voice  of  Abraham  near  by  to  where  I  stood, 
I  looked,  and  saw  him  seated  upon  the  ground,  wailing 
aloud  as  if  in  extreme  bodily  pain.  Selfish  wretch  that 
I  was,  had  I,  in  my  thankfulness  for  my  own  safety,  for- 
gotten the  friend  of  my  heart !  Letting  go  my  grasp  of 
the  tree,  I  ran  to  his  side,  and  asked  in  choking  accents, 

"Abraham!  oh,  Abraham,  are  you  hurt?  Tell  me 
quick — tell  me,  are  you  hurt  ?" 

"  My  skull !  my  skull !"  groaned  Abraham,  in  rending 
tones  ;  "  oh  !  Luff,  my  skull  is  broken  !" 

"  Good  heavens !"  I  exclaimed,  "  what  are  we  to  do? 
This  is  terrible !  Wretch  that  I  am,  I  thought  only  of 
myself!" 

Abraham  groaned  again.  His  face  was  livid,  and  a 
small  streak  of  blood  that  coursed  down  his  right  cheek 
told  how  truly  he  had  spoken. 

"  Abraham,  my  friend  Abraham !"  I  exclaimed,  in  a 
perfect  agony  of  distress,  "  perhaps  it's  not  so  bad.  It 
may  not  be  broken." 

"  Yes  it  is,"  said  Abraham  ;  "  I  heard  it  crack  when  I 
fell.  My  feet  flew  up,  and  I  fell  on  my  back.  It  must 
have  struck  a  rock." 

"  Oh,  Abraham,  what  are  we  to  do  ?  I  wouldn't  have 
had  this  to  happen  for  the  whole  island.  Here,  I'll  tear 
my  shirt  off  and  tie  it  up." 

"  No,  no,  Luff,  it  can't  be  mended ;  it's  broken  all  to 
smash.  I  wouldn't  have  had  it  happen  for  a  thousand 
dollars.    It  can  never,  never  be  mended  !" 

"  Let  me  see,"  said  I,  carefully  laying  back  his  hair ; 
"  something  must  be  done,  Abraham." 

ing  dead  beside  him.  With  great  pain  and  difficulty  he  made  his 
way  to  his  hut,  which  was  nearly  a  mile  distant  from  the  spot ;  and 
for  three  days  he  lay  on  his  bed  enduring  much  suffering.  No  per- 
manent injury,  however,  had  been  done  him,  and  he  was  soon  able  to 
go  abroad  again. — [Life  of  Alexander  Selkirk.] 


00 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


"No,  no — nothing  can  be  done;  the  trouble's  not 
there,  Luff ;  it's  here — here,  in  my  pocket !"  At  the 
same  time,  while  I  started  back  in  a  perfect  maze  of  con- 
fusion, Abraham  thrust  his  hand  into  his  coat  pocket, 
and  brought  forth  a  whole  handful  of  thin  flat  bones, 
broken  into  small  pieces,  which  he  held  out  with  a  rue- 
ful face,  groaning  again  as  he  looked  at  them. 

"  No,  no,  it  can't  be  mended,  Luff." 

"The  devil!"  said  I,  angrily,  "you  may  thank  your 
stars  it  isn't  any  worse  than  that !" 

"  Worse !  worse  !"  cried  Abraham,  highly  excited  ; 
"  what  do  you  mean  ?  In  the  name  of  common  sense, 
isn't  that  bad  enough  ?    How  could  it  be  any  worse  ?" 

"  Pshaw !  Abraham ;  I  thought,  when  I  heard  your 
lamentations,  and  saw  that  scratch  of  a  bush  on  your 
face,  that  your  own  natural  cranium  was  fractured." 

"  Well,  what  if  you  did  ?"  cried  Abraham,  still  irri- 
tated. "  Would  you  call  that  worse  ?  A  live  skull  will 
grow  together,  but  a  dead  one  won't.  And  this — this, 
with  such  a  history  to  it — to  lose  this,  after  all  my 
trouble  in  finding  it — oh,  Luff,  Luff,  it's  too  bad  !" 

However,  having  no  farther  time  to  spare  over  his 
ruined  skull,  he  put  back  the  bones  in  his  pocket,  and, 
with  a  heavy  sigh,  joined  me  as  I  sprang  down  through 
the  grove. 

The  rest  of  our  descent  was  comparatively  easy. 
When  we  got  down  to  the  head  of  the  valley,  a  muddy 
stream  broke  wildly  over  the  rocks,  carrying  down  with 
it  the  branches  and  leaves  of  trees,  and  roaring  fearfully 
as  it  rushed  on  toward  the  ocean.  We  followed  this  in 
its  rapid  descent,  and  were  soon  with  our  friends  at  the 
boat-landing. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


91 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  AMERICAN  CEUSOE. 

The  third  night  closed,  leaving  us  still  upon  the  island. 
Who  could  tell  if  the  vessel  would  be  in  sight  by  morn- 
ing ?  Should  the  gale  continue,  it  was  not  improbable 
that  she  would  be  driven  far  to  the  leeward,  and  per- 
haps compelled  to  give  up  the  search  for  us  entirely. 
Ships  had  not  unfrequently  been  in  sight  of  the  island 
for  weeks,  as  we  afterward  learned,  and  yet  unable  to 
make  an  anchorage,  in  consequence  of  baffling  winds  and 
heavy  gales.  It  might  turn  out  to  be  no  joke,  after  all, 
this  wild  exhibition.  To  be  Crusoes  by  inclination  was 
one  thing,  by  compulsion  another. 

We  were  determined  not  to  spend  another  night  in 
the  cave ;  that  was  out  of  the  question.  There  was  not 
one  of  us  who  wanted  to  enjoy  the  romance  of  that  place 
again.  No  better  alternative  remained  for  us  than  to 
make  a  bargain  with  Pearce,  the  American,  for  quarters 
in  his  straw  cabin.  This  we  were  the  more  content  to 
do  upon  seeing  him  emerge  from  the  bushes  with  a  dead 
kid  hanging  over  his  shoulders,  which  we  naturally  sup- 
posed he  intended  for  supper. 

At  first  he  spoke  rather  gruffly  for  a  fellow-country- 
man ;  but  this  we  attributed  to  his  wild  manner  of  life, 
separated  from  all  society ;  nor  were  we  at  all  disposed 
to  quarrel  with  him  on  account  of  his  uncouth  address, 
when  we  came  to  consider  that  a  man  might  understand 
but  little  of  politeness,  and  yet  be  a  very  good  sort  of 
fellow,  and  understand  very  well  how  to  cook  a  kid. 
We  had  no  money,  which  we  honestly  told  him  in  the 
beginning ;  but  we  promised  him,  in  lieu  thereof,  a  large 
supply  of  ham  and  bread  from  the  ship.  This  did  not 
seem  to  improve  the  matter  at  all ;  indeed,  we  began  to 
think  he  was  loth  to  credit  us,  which,  however,  was  not 


92 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


THE  AMERICAN  CRUSOE. 

the  case.  He  said  the  Californians  who  had  been  there 
had  eaten  up  nearly  all  his  stores,  and  had  paid  him  little 
or  nothing.  They  had  promised  him  a  good  deal,  but 
promises  were  the  principal  amount  of  what  he  got.  If 
this  was  all,  he  wouldn't  mind  it ;  they  were  welcome  to 
what  he  had ;  but  he  didn't  like  folks  to  come  and  take 
possession  of  his  house  as  a  matter  of  right,  and  get 
drunk  in  it,  and  raise  Old  Scratch  with  his  furniture, 
and  then  swear  at  him  next  morning  for  not  keepin'  a 
better  tavern.  He  didn't  pretend  to  keep  a  tavern ;  it 
was  his  own  private  house,  and  he  wanted  it  to  be  pri- 
vate— that's  what  he  came  here  for.  He  had  society 
enough  at  home,  and  a  darn'd  sight  too  much  of  it.  He 
liked  to  choose  his  own  company.  He  was  an  independ- 
ent character  himself,  and  meant  to  be  independent  in 
spite  of  all  the  Californians  on  this  side  of  creation.  All 
he  wished  was  that  old  Nick  had  a  hold  of  California 
and  all  the  gold  in  it — if  there  was  any  in  it,  which  he 
didn't  much  believe  himself.  He  hoped  it  would  be  sunk 
tolerably  deep  under  the  sea  before  some  of  'em  got 
there.  It  was  a  tolerable  hard  case,  that  a  man  couldn't 
live  alone  without  a  parcel  of  fellers,  that  hadn't  any 
thing  to  do  at  home,  comin'  all  the  way  to  Juan  Fer- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


03 


nandez  to  play  Scratch  with  his  house  and  furniture,  and 
turn  every  thing  upside  down,  as  if  it  belonged  to  'em, 
and  cuss  the  hair  off'n  his  head  for  not  makin'  a  bigger 
house,  and  keepin'  a  bar  full  of  good  liquor,  and  a  bil- 
liard saloon,  aud  bowlin'-alley  for  the  accommodation  of 
travelers — a  tolerable  hard  case.  He'd  be  squarmed  ef 
he  was  a  goin'  to  stand  it  any  longer. 

"We  agreed  with  Crusoe  that  this  was  indeed  rather  a 
hard  case,  but  promised  him  that  he  would  find  us  al- 
together different  sort  of  persons.  We  were  first-class 
passengers — none  of  your  rowdy  third-class ;  he  under- 
stood all  that ;  they  were  all  first-class  passengers  ashore ; 
he  wouldn't  believe  one  of 'em  on  oath.  Again  we  en- 
deavored to  compromise  the  matter,  so  far  as  regarded 
the  ham  at  least,  of  which  he  was  entirely  incredulous, 
by  telling  him  that  he  might  come  on  board  with  us,  and 
then  when  we'd  be  sure  not  to  run  away  without  paying 
him. 

"But  what  if  you  should  carry  me  away?"  said  he, 
evidently  startled  by  this  proposition. 

"Nothing — only  we'd  take  you  to  California.  That 
would  be  a  lucky  chance  for  you." 

"  No,  it  wouldn't.  I  don't  want  to  go  there.  I'm 
very  well  here." 

"  But  there's  plenty  of  gold  in  California,"  said  we ; 
"  no  doubt  about  it  at  all.  You  may  live  here  all  your 
life,  and  be  no  better  off." 

"  I'm  well  enough  off,"  retorted  Crusoe ;  "  I  only 
want  people  to  let  me  alone.  Ever  since  this  California 
business  they've  been  troublin'  me." 

"  You  surely  can't  be  happy  here  without  a  soul  near 
you !  Why,  it's  enough  to  drive  a  man  mad.  It  must 
be  dreadfully  dull.    You  can't  be  happy  !" 

"Yes  I  am!"  said  Crusoe,  peevishly;  "I'm  always 
happy  when  I  ain't  troubled.  When  I'm  troubled  I'm 
mis'rable.  Nothin'  makes  me  so  mis'rable  as  bein' 
troubled." 

"It  makes  a  good  many  people  miserable,"  was  our 


04 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


reply.  "  We  must  trouble  you  for  a  night's  lodging,  at 
all  events,  for  we  have  no  place  else  to  stay." 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  stay  nowhere  else !"  cried  Cru- 
soe ;  "  that  wasn't  what  I  meant :  you  mustn't  get  drunk 
— that's  what  I  meant." 

"  No,  we  won't  get  drunk ;  we  haven't  any  thing  to 
get  drunk  on,  unless  you  insist  upon  giving  us  some- 
thing." 

"  Very  well,  then ;  you  can  sleep  in  my  cabin,  ef  you 
don't  tear  it  down.  Some  fellers  have  tried  to  tear  it 
down." 

We  promised  him  that  we  would  use  every  exertion 
to  overcome  any  propensity  we  might  have  in  regard  to 
tearing  his  house  down  ;  and,  although  he  still  shook  his 
head  mournfully,  as  if  he  had  no  farther  confidence  in 
man,  he  led  the  way  toward  his  hut,  hinting  in  a  sort  of 
undergrowl  that  it  would  be  greatly  to  our  advantage 
not  to  get  drunk,  or  attempt  to  destroy  his  house  and 
furniture,  inasmuch  as  he  had  a  number  of  goatskins, 
which  he  wouldn't  mind  letting  sober  people  have  to 
sleep  on,  but  he'd  be  squarmed  ef  he'd  lend  'em  to  people 
that  cuss'd  him  for  not  keepin'  feather  beds.  We  de- 
clared upon  our  words,  as  gentlemen,  that  we  had  no 
idea  whatever  of  sleeping  on  feather  beds  in  such  a  re- 
mote part  of  the  world  as  this,  and  would  be  most  hap- 
py to  prove  to  him  that  we  were  worthy  of  sleeping  on 
goatskins ;  that  we  would  regard  goatskins  in  the  light 
of  a  favor,  whereas  if  he  put  us  upon  feather  beds,  we 
should  feel  disposed  to  look  upon  it  rather  as  a  reflection 
upon  our  character  as  disciples  of  the  immortal  Crusoe. 

Abraham  and  myself  were  wet  to  the  skin  after  our 
adventure  in  the  mountains,  and,  having  been  five  or  six 
hours  in  that  condition,  we  were  hungry  enough  to  eat 
any  thing.  We  therefore  left  the  party  down  on  the 
beach,  where  they  were  trying  to  set  fire  to  an  old  pitch- 
barrel  as  a  signal  for  the  ship,  and,  under  the  guidance 
of  Pearce,  hurried  up  to  the  cabin.  Upon  entering  the 
low  doorway,  we  found  that  there  was  some  promise  of 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


05 


o-ood  cheer.  There  was  a  basket  of  fish  in  one  corner, 
and  sundry  pieces  of  dried  meat  hanging  upon  the  walls. 
Our  friend  set  to  work  to  skin  the  kid ;  and  we,  finding 
a  sort  of  stone  fireplace  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  with 
a  few  live  embers  in  it,  sat  down,  and  began  putting  on 
some  wood  out  of  a  neighboring  pile,  by  which  means 
we  soon  had  a  comfortable  fire.  As  soon  as  the  steam 
was  pretty  well  out  of  our  clothes,  and  the  warmth 
struck  thiough  to  our  skins,  we  felt  an  uncommonly 
pleasant  glow  all  over  us;  and  the  blaze  was  exceeding- 
ly cheerful.  In  fact,  we  were  quite  happy,  in  spite  of 
the  gloomy  forebodings  of  Pearce,  who  kept  saying  to 
himself  all  the  time  he  was  skinning  the  kid, "  I  expect 
nothin'  else  but  what  they'll  burn  my  house  down.  Ef 
they'd  only  let  a  feller  alone,  and  not  come  troublin'  him, 
I'd  like  it  a  good  deal  better  than  bread  or  ham  either 
— 'specially  when  it's  aboard  a  ship  that  ain't  here,  and 
never  will  be,  I  reckon.  Fun's  fun  ;  but  I'll  be  squarmed 
ef  I  want  to  see  my  house  burned  down  over  my  head. 
'Tain't  nothin'  to  larf  at.  When  I  want  somethin'  to 
larf  at,  I  kin  raise  it  myself  without  troublin'  other  folks. 
Ef  a  man  can't  live  to  himself  here,  I'd  like  to  know 
where  in  creation  he  kin  live.  I  expect  they'll  be  ex- 
plorin'  the  bottom  of  the  sea  by'm-by  in  search  of  gold  ; 
I'd  go  there  to  be  to  myself,  ef  I  thought  I  could  be  to 
myself;  but  I  know  they'd  be  arter  me  in  less  than  a 
month.  Ef  I  was  a  bettin'  character,  I'd  be  willin'  to 
bet  five  dollars  they'll  set  fire  to  the  house,  and  burn  it 
down  afore  they  stop  !" 

Meantime  Brigham  and  the  rest  of  the  party  succeed- 
ed at  length  in  making  a  large  fire  on  the  beach  as  a  sig- 
nal for  the  ship,  and  they  remained  down  there  some 
time  in  hopes  she  would  send  a  boat  ashore.  But  the 
gale  increasing,  accompanied  by  heavy  rain,  they  had  to 
leave  the  fire,  and  make  a  hasty  retreat  to  the  hut. 


96 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CASTLE  OF  THE  AMERICAN  CRUSOE. 

Pearce's  gloomy  views  of  society  began  to  brighten 
a  good  deal  when  he  found  that  Ave  were  not  disposed 
to  tear  down  his  house  or  burn  it,  or  wantonly  ruin  his 
furniture.  He  was  not  a  bad-hearted  man  by  any  means, 
though  rather  crusty  from  having  lived  too  long  alone, 
and  somewhat  prejudiced  against  the  Californians  on  ac- 
count of  the  rough  treatment  he  had  received  from  them. 
A  little  flattery  regarding  his  skill  in  architecture,  and  a 
word  of  praise  on  the  subject  of  his  furniture,  seemed  to 
mollify  him  a  good  deal ;  and  he  smiled  grimly  once  or 
twice  at  our  folly  in  coming  ashore,  when  we  could  have 
done  so  much  better,  as  he  alleged,  by  staying  aboard 
the  ship,  and  going  ahead  about  our  business. 

Regarding  the  house,  which  afforded  him  so  much 
anxiety,  there  did  not  appear  to  us  to  be  any  thing  quite 
so  original  and  Crusoe-like  in  any  other  part  of  the  world. 
It  was  a  little  straw  hut,  just  big  enough  to  creep  into 
and  turn  round  in ;  with  a  steep  peaked  roof,  projecting 
all  round,  very  rustic  and  rugged-looking,  and,  withal, 
very  well  adapted  to  the  climate.  The  straw  was  woven 
through  upright  stakes,  and  made  a  tolerably  secure 
wall ;  outside,  growing  up  around  the  house  in  every  di- 
rection, were  running  vines  and  wild  flowers ;  and  at  a 
little  distance  were  various  smaller  sheds  and  out-houses, 
in  which  our  worthy  host  kept  his  domestic  animals,  and 
what  wood  he  required  during  the  bad  wTeather.  The 
furniture  of  his  main  abode,  which  was  such  a  source  of 
honest  pride  to  him,  consisted  chiefly  of  a  few  three-leg- 
ged stools,  made  of  the  rough  wood  with  the  bark  still 
on  ;  a  kind  of  bench  for  a  lounge  ;  a  rough  bedstead  in 
one  corner,  partly  shut  off  by  a  straw  partition ;  a  bro- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


07 


ken  looking-glass,  and  an  iron  kettle  and  frying-pan,  be- 
sides sundry  strange  articles  of  domestic  economy  of 
which  we  could  form  no  correct  idea,  inasmuch  as  they 
were  made  upon  novel  principles  of  his  own,  and  were 
entirely  beyond  our  comprehension.  Over  head,  the 
rafters  were  covered  with  goatskins;  a  sailor's  pea- 
jacket,  a  sou'wester,  and  some  colored  shirts  hung  at 
the  head  of  the  bed.  In  one  corner  there  was  a  rude 
wooden  cupboard,  containing  a  few  broken  cups  and 
plates,  and  a  Chinese  tea-box ;  in  another  a  sea-chest, 
which,  when  pulled  out,  served  for  a  table.  The  floor 
was  of  mud,  and  not  very  dry  after  the  rain ;  for  the 
roof  had  sprung  a  leak,  and,  moreover,  what  water  was 
cast  off  from  above  eventually  found  its  way  in  under 
the  walls  below.  Doubtless,  like  the  man  with  the  fid- 
dle, our  host  thought  it  useless  to  mend  it  when  the 
weather  was  fine,  and  too  wet  to  work  at  it  when  the 
weather  was  rainy.  It  was  a  very  queer  and  original 
place  altogether ;  and  with  a  good  fire,  and  a  little  pre- 
caution in  keeping  from  under  the  leaks  in  the  roof,  not 
at  all  uncomfortable.  Our  Crusoe  friend,  overhearing 
us  say  that  it  was  a  glorious  place  to  live  in,  a  regular 
castle,  where  a  man  might  spend  his  days  like  a  king, 
smiled  again  a  crusty  smile,  and  growled, 

"  There's  tea  in  that  'ere  box.  Ef  you  want  some  you 
kin  have  it.  I  got  it  out'n  a  ship  that  came  from  China. 
There  ain't  better  tea  nowhere." 

We  thanked  him  heartily  for  his  kindness,  and  de- 
clared at  the  same  time  that  we  regarded  good  tea  as 
the  very  rarest  luxury  of  life.  Again  his  face  cracked 
into  something  like  a  smile,  and  he  said, 

"Better  tea  never  was  drunk  in  China.  Efyou  like, 
I'll  put  sugar  in  it." 

We  declared  that  sugar  was  the  very  thing  of  all  the 
luxuries  in  the  world  that  we  were  most  attached  to,  but 
we  could  not  drink  it  with  any  sort  of  relish  if  we 
thought  it  would  be  robbing  him  of  his  stores.  If  he 
had  these  things  to  spare  we  would  cheerfullv  use  them, 

E 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


and  pay  him  three  or  four  times  their  value  in  provisions 
from  the  ship. 

"  Darn  the  ship !"  cried  Crusoe ;  "  I  don't  care  a  cuss 
about  the  ship,  so  long  as  you  don't  get  drunk  and  tear 
my  house  down !" 

Upon  this  we  protested  that  we  would  sooner  tear  the 
hair  out  of  our  heads  by  the  roots  than  tear  down  so 
unique  and  extraordinary  a  structure  as  his  house ;  and 
as  to  his  furniture,  it  was  worth  its  weight  in  gold; 
every  stick  of  it  would  bring  five  hundred  dollars  in  the 
city  of  New  York. 

Whereupon  Pearce  stirred  about  in  the  obscure  cor- 
ners with  wonderful  alacrity,  rooting  up  all  sorts  of 
queer  things  out  of  dark  places,  and  muttering  to  him- 
self meantime, 

"  I'm  as  fond  of  company  as  any  body,  ef  they're  the 
right  sort ;  and  I'll  be  squarmed  ef  I  ain't  an  independ- 
dent  character  too.  I  don't  owe  nobody  for  a  buildin' 
of  my  house,  or  a  makin'  of  my  furniture.  I  did  it  all 
myself,  long  before  California  was  skeer'd  up." 

He  then  put  down  the  old  kettle  on  the  fire,  and,  as 
soon  as  the  water  was  boiled,  emptied  a  large  cupful  of 
tea  into  it,  and  set  it  near  the  fire  to  draw.  While  the 
tea  was  drawing,  he  fried  a  panful  of  kid,  and  broiled 
some  fish  on  the  coals ;  and  when  it  was  all  done,  he 
gave  us  each  a  tin  plate,  and  told  us  to  eat  as  much  as 
we  wanted,  and  be  darn'd  to  the  ship,  so  long  as  we  be- 
haved like  Christians.  Then  he  furnished  us  with  cups 
for  the  tea,  and  some  sea-biscuit,  which  he  dug  out  of 
the  cupboard ;  and  I  must  declare,  in  all  sincerity,  that 
we  made  a  most  excellent  supper. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


90 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

DIFFICULTY  BETWEEN  ABRAHAM  AND  THE  DOUBTER. 

Every  one  of  us,  except  the  man  that  had  no  faith  in 
Robinson  Crusoe,  admitted  that  the  tea  was  the  best 
ever  produced  in  China  or  any  where  else ;  that  the  fried 
kid  was  perfectly  delicious;  that  the  fish  were  the  fat- 
test and  tenderest  ever  fished  out  of  the  sea;  that  the 
biscuit  tasted  a  thousand  times  better  than  the  biscuit 
we  had  on  board  ship;  that  the  whole  house  and  all 
about  it  were  wonderfully  well  arranged  for  comfort ; 
and  that  Pearce,  after  all,  was  the  jolliest  old  brick  of  a 
Crusoe  ever  found  upon  a  desolate  island. 

In  fine,  we  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  a  glori- 
ous life,  calculated  to  enlarge  a  man's  soul;  an  inde- 
pendent life;  a  perfect  Utopia  in  its  way.  "Let  us," 
said  we,  "  spend  the  remainder  of  our  days  here  !  Who 
cares  about  the  gold  of  Ophir,  when  he  can  live  like  a 
king  on  this  island,  and  be  richer  and  happier  than  Sol- 
omon in  his  temple !" 

"  You'd  soon  be  tired  of  it,"  muttered  a  voice  from  a 
dark  corner  :  it  was  the  voice  of  the  Doubter.  "  You 
wouldn't  be  here  a  month  till  you'd  give  the  eyes  out  of 
your  heads  to  get  away." 

"  Where's  that  man  ?"  cried  several  of  us,  fiercely. 

"I'm  here — here  in  the  corner,  gentlemen,  rayther 
troubled  with  fleas." 

"  You'd  better  turn  in  and  go  to  sleep." 

"I  can't  sleep.  Nobody  can  sleep  here.  I've  tried 
it  long  enough.  I  reckon  the  fleas  will  eat  us  all  up  by 
morning,  and  leave  nothing  but  the  hair  of  our  heads. 
I  doubt  if  they'll  leave  that." 

"  Was  there  ever  such  a  man  ?  Why,  you  do  nothing 
but  throw  cold  water  on  every  body." 


100 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


"  ISTo  I  don't ;  it  comes  through  the  roof.  It's  as  much 
as  I  can  do  to  keep  clear  of  it  myself,  without  throwin' 
it  on  other  people."    With  this  we  let  him  alone. 

The  fire  now  blazed  cheerfully,  sending  its  ruddy  glow 
through  the  cabin.  A  rude  earthen  lamp,  that  hung 
from  one  of  the  rafters,  also  shed  its  cheerful  light  upon  us 
as  we  sat  in  a  circle  round  the  crackling  fagots ;  and  al- 
together our  rustic  quarters  looked  very  lively  and  pleas- 
ant. Every  face  beamed  with  good-humor.  Even  the 
face  of  the  Doubter  belied  his  croaking  remarks,  and 
glowed  with  unwonted  enthusiasm.  Little  Jim  Paxton, 
the  whaler,  under  the  inspiration  of  the  tea,  which  was 
uncommonly  strong,  volunteered  a  song ;  and  the  cries 
of  bravo  being  general,  he  gave  us,  in  true  sailor  style, 

"I'm  monarch  of  all  I  survey, 

My  right  there  is  none  to  dispute ; 

From  the  centre  all  round  to  the  sea, 
I'm  lord  of  the  fowl  and  the  brute ! 

Oh  Solitude  where  are  the  charms,"  &c. 

This  was  so  enthusiastically  applauded,  that  my  friend 
Abraham,  whose  passion  for  all  sorts  of  curiosities  had 
led  him  to  explore  musty  old  books  as  well  as  musty  old 
caves  for  odds  and  ends,  now  rose  on  his  goatskin,  and 
said  that,  with  permission  of  the  company,  he  would  at- 
tempt something  which  he  considered  peculiarly  appro- 
priate to  the  occasion.  He  was  not  much  of  a  singer, 
but  he  hoped  the  interest  attached  to  the  words  would 
be  a  sufficient  compensation  for  all  the  deficiencies  of 
voice  and  style. 

"  Go  ahead,  Abraham  !"  cried  every  body,  greatly  in- 
terested by  these  remarks.  "Let  us  have  the  song! 
Out  with  it !" 

"First,"  said  Abraham,  clearing  his  voice,  "I  beg 
leave  to  state,  for  the  benefit  of  all  who  may  not  be 
familiar  with  the  fact,  that  this  is  no  vulgar  or  common- 
place song,  as  many  people  suppose  who  sing  it.  On  the 
contrary,  it  may  be  regarded  as  a  classical  production. 
Among  the  many  effusions  to  which  the  popularity  of 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


101 


Robinson  Crusoe  gave  rise,  none  was  a  greater  favorite 
in  its  day  than  the  song  which  I  am  about  to  attempt. 
It  has  been  customary  to  introduce  it  in  the  character 
of  Jerry  Sneak,  in  Foote's  celebrated  farce,  the  Mayor 
of  Garratt.  As  the  words  are  now  nearly  forgotten,  I 
hope  you'll  not  consider  it  tiresome  if  I  go  through  to 
the  end.    Join  in  the  chorus,  gentlemen  !" 

POOR  ROBINSON  CRUSOE. 
4 'When  I  was  a  lad,  my  fortune  was  bad, 
My  grandfather  I  did  lose  O ; 
I'll  bet  you  a  can,  you've  heard  of  the  man, 
His  name  it  was  Robinson  Crusoe. 
Oh  !  poor  Robinson  Crusoe, 
Tinky  ting  tang,  tinky  ting  tang, 
Oh  !  poor  Robinson  Crusoe. 

"  You've  read  in  a  book  of  a  voyage  he  took, 
While  the  raging  whirlwinds  blew,  so 
That  the  ship  with  a  shock  fell  plump  on  a  rock, 
Near  drowning  poor  Robinson  Crusoe. 
Oh !  poor,  &c. 

"Poor  soul !  none  but  he  escaped  on  the  sea. 
Ah,  Fate !  Fate  !  how  could  you  do  so  ? 
Till  at  length  he  was  thrown  on  an  island  unknown, 
Which  received  poor  Robinson  Crusoe." 

"  Here,  gentlemen,  I  beg  you  to  take  notice  that  we 
are  now,  in  all  probability,  on  the  very  spot.  I  have  the 
strongest  reasons  for  supposing  that  the  castle  of  our  ex- 
cellent host,  in  which  we  are  at  this  moment  enjoying 
the  flow  of  soul  and  the  feast  of  reason,  is  built  upon  the 
identical  site  occupied  in  former  times  by  the  castle  of 
the  remarkable  adventurer  in  whose  honor  this  song  was 
composed.    But  to  proceed — 

"Tinky  ting  tang,  tinky  ting  tang, 
Oh  !  poor  Robinson  Crusoe. 

"  But  he  saved  from  on  board  a  gun  and  a  sword, 
And  another  old  matter  or  two,  so 
That  by  dint  of  his  thrift,  he  managed  to  shift 
Pretty  well,  for  poor  Robinson  Crusoe. 
Oh !  poor,  &c. 


102 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


"He  wanted  something  to  eat,  and  couldn't  get  meat, 
The  cattle  away  from  him  flew,  so 
That  but  for  his  gun  he'd  been  sorely  undone, 
And  starved  would  poor  Robinson  Crusoe. 
Oh !  poor,  &c. 

"And  he  happened  to  save  from  the  merciless  wave 
A  poor  parrot,  I  assure  you  'tis  true,  so 
That  when  he  came  home,  from  a  Avearisome  roam, 
Used  to  cry  out,  Poor  Robinson  Crusoe. 
Oh !  poor,  &c. 

"Then  he  got  all  the  wood  that  ever  he  could, 
And  stuck  it  together  with  glue,  so 
That  he  made  him  a  hut,  in  which  he  might  put 
The  carcass  of  Robinson  Crusoe." 

"  Hold  on  there !  hold  on !"  cried  a  voice,  in  a  high 
state  of  excitement.  Every  body  turned  to  see  who  it 
was  that  dared  to  interrupt  so  inspiring  a  song.  Imme- 
diately the  indignant  gaze  was  fixed  upon  the  face  of  the 
Doubter,  who,  with  outstretched  neck,  was  peering  at 
Abraham  from  his  dark  corner.  "Excuse  me,  gentle- 
men," said  he,  "but  I  want  some  information  on  that 
point.  Did  you  mean  to  say,  sir,  that  he,  Robinson  Cru- 
soe, stuck  the  wood  together  with  glue  when  he  built 
his  house  ?  with  glue,  did  you  say  ?" 

"  So  the  song  goes,"  said  Abraham,  a  little  confused, 
not  to  say  irritated.  "  Doubtless  the  words  are  used  in 
a  metaphorical  sense.  There  is  every  reason  to  believe 
that  this  is  a  mere  poetical  license ;  but  it  doesn't  alter 
the  general  accuracy  of  the  history.  For  my  own  part, 
I  am  disposed  to  think  that  the  house  was  built  very 
much  upon  the  same  principles  as  that  of  our  friend 
Pearce ;  in  fact,  that  it  was  precisely  such  an  establish- 
ment as  we  at  present  occupy." 

"Go  on,  sir — go  on;  I'm  perfectly  satisfied,"  mutter- 
ed the  Doubter ;  "  the  whole  thing  hangs  together  by 
means  of  glue ;  every  part  of  it  is  connected  with  the 
same  material !" 

Abraham  reddened  to  the  eyebrows  at  this  uncalled- 
for  remark ;  his  fine  features,  usually  so  placid  and  full 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


103 


of  good  nature,  were  distorted  with  indignation ;  he 
turned  fiercely  toward  the  Doubter;  he  instinctively 
doubled  up  both  fists ;  he  breathed  hard  between  his 
clenched  teeth ;  then,  hearing  a  low  murmur  of  dissua- 
sion from  the  whole  party,  he  turned  away  with  a  smile  of 
contempt,  breaking  abruptly  into  the  burden  of  his  song, 

"Tinky  ting  tang,  tinky  ting  tang, 
Oh  !  poor  Robinson  Crusoe  ! 

"While  his  man  Friday  kept  the  house  snug  and  tidy, 
For  be  sure  'twas  his  business  to  do  so, 
They  lived  friendly  together,  less  like  servant  than  neighbor, 
Lived  Friday  and  Robinson  Crusoe. 
Oh!  poor,  &c. 

"  Then  he  wore  a  large  cap,  and  a  coat  without  nap, 
And  a  beard  as  long  as  a  Jew,  so 
That,  by  all  that's  civil,  he  looked  like  a  devil 
More  than  poor  Robinson  Crusoe." 

"  Which  shows,"  continued  Abraham,  with  his  accus- 
tomed smile  of  good  humor,  "  the  extraordinary  shifts  to 
which  a  man  may  be  reduced  by  necessity,  and  the  un- 
couth appearance  he  must  present  in  a  perfectly  unshaved 
state,  when  even  the  poet  admits  that  he  looked  like  a 
devil.  These  articles  of  clothing,  which  contributed  to 
give  him  such  a  wild  aspect,  were  made  of  goatskins,  as 
he  himself  informs  us  in  his  wronderful  narrative ;  and  I 
beg  you  to  remember,  gentlemen,  that  the  very  skins 
upon  which  we  are  this  moment  sitting  are  related,  by 
direct  descent,  to  those  which  were  worn  by  Robinson 
Crusoe." 

Here  the  Doubter  groaned. 

"  Well,  sir,  is  there  any  thing  improbable  in  that  ?" 
said  Abraham,  fiercely.  "  Have  you  any  objection  to 
that  remark,  sir  ?" 

"No;  I  have  nothing  to  say  against  it  in  particular, 
except  that  I'd  believe  it  sooner  if  there  were  goats  in 
the  skins.  I  never  heard  of  modern  goatskins  descend- 
ing from  ancient  goatskins  before." 

"  Of  course,  sir,"  said  Abraham,  coloring,  "  the  goats 
were  in  the  skins  before  they  were  taken  out." 


104 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


u Likely  they  were,"  growled  the  Doubter;  "  I  won't 
dispute  that.  But  I'd  like  to  know,  as  a  matter  of  infor- 
mation, if  he,  Robinson  Crusoe,  made  his  clothes  in  the 
same  way  as  he  made  his  house  ?" 

"  To  be  sure,  sir  ;  to  be  sure :  he  made  both  with  his 
own  hands." 

"  I  thought  so,"  said  the  Doubter,  sinking  back  into 
his  dark  corner  ;  "  he  sew'd  'em  with  glue.  All  glue — 
glue  from  beginning  to  end." 

"  I'll  see  you  to-morrow,  sir !"  said  Abraham,  swelling 
with  indignation  ;  "  we'll  settle  this  matter  to-morrow, 
sir.  At  present  I  shall  pay  no  further  attention  to  your 
remarks !"  Here  he  drew  several  rapid  breaths,  as  if 
swallowing  dt>wn  his  passion ;  and,  looking  round  with 
a  darkened  brow  upon  the  mute  and  astonished  company, 
resumed,  in  a  loud  and  steady  voice, 

"Tinky  ting  tang,  tinky  ting  tang, 
Oh  !  poor  Robinson  Crusoe  ! 

"  At  length,  within  hail,  he  saw  a  stout  sail, 
And  he  took  to  his  little  canoe ;  so, 
When  he  reach' d  the  ship,  they  gave  him  a  trip, 
Back  to  England  brought  Robinson  Crusoe. 
Oh  !  poor  Robinson  Crusoe !" 

We  all  joined  in  the  chorus — all,  except  the  incredu- 
lous man  ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  unfortunate  differ- 
ence between  Abraham  and  that  individual,  which  tended 
so  much  to  mar  the  harmony  of  the  occasion,  we  thought, 
from  the  way  our  voices  sounded,  that  it  must  have  been 
the  very  first  time  this  inspiring  song  was  sung  in  the 
solitudes  of  Juan  Fernandez.  I  even  fancied  I  detected 
the  crusty  voice  of  Pearce  in  the  chorus ;  but  I  wouldn't 
like  to  make  a  positive  assertion  to  that  effect,  on  account 
of  the  danger  of  giving  him  offense,  should  he  ever  cast 
his  eyes  upon  this  narrative.  As  there  was  still  evident- 
ly a  cloud  upon  Abraham's  brow,  which  might  burst  to- 
morrow upon  the  Doubter,  and  thereby  bring  the  whole 
adventure  to  a  tragic  termination,  several  of  us  now,  by 
a  concerted  movement,  endeavored  to  effect  a  recon cilia- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


105 


tion.  "We  seized  upon  the  Doubter,  who  by  this  time 
was  doziug  away  in  the  corner,  and  brought  him  forth  to 
the  light,  where  he  looked  about  him  in  mute  astonish- 
ment, muttering,  as  if  awakened  out  of  a  dream,  "  No, 
sir,  it  can't  be  done,  sir ;  a  house  never  was  built  with 
glue  yet ;  goatskins  never  were  sewed  together  with 
glue — never,  sir,  never  !" 

"  You  shall  swallow  those  words,  sir !"  cried  Abraham, 
quivering  with  passion  ;  "  I'll  make  you  swallow  them, 
sir,  to-morrow  morning !" 

"  I'll  swallow  'em  now  if  you  like,"  drawled  the  Doubt- 
er, with  provoking  coolness, "  but  I  can't  swallow  a  house 
built  of  glue.  Possibly  I  might  swallow  the  goatskins, 
but  the  house  won't  go  down — it  ain't  the  kind  of  thing 
to  go  down !" 

Here  it  required  our  full  force  to  restrain  Abraham ; 
he  fairly  chafed  with  indignation ;  his  face  wTas  flushed ; 
his  nostrils  distended  ;  his  stalwart  limbs  writhing  con- 
vulsively ;  in  truth,  our  well-meant  plan  of  reconciliation 
only  seemed  to  hasten  the  tragedy  which  we  were  striv- 
ing to  prevent.    Pearce  himself  now  interposed. 

"I  know'd  it,"  said  he;  "I  know'd  they'd  tear  my 
house  down  yet,  and  ruin  my  furniture !  Next  thing, 
all  hands'll  be  breakin'  my  chairs  to  pieces  on  one  an- 
other's heads ;  I  know'd  it ;  I  wouldn't  believe  'em  on 
oath !" 

This  rebuke  touched  Abraham  in  a  tender  point.  Quick 
to  take  offense,  he  was  also  ready  in  forgiving  an  injury, 
especially  when  a  due  regard  for  the  feelings  of  others 
required  it. 

"Gentlemen,"  said  he,  "it  shall  never  be  said  that  I 
have  violated  the  rites  of  hospitality.  There  shall  be 
no  further  difficulty  about  this  matter;  I  forgive  all. 
Your  hand,  sir !" 

The  Doubter  awkwardly  held  out  his  hand  and  suffer- 
ed it  to  be  shaken,  upon  which  he  crept  back  into  his 
dark  corner,  still,  however,  muttering  incoherently  from 
time  to  time ;  but  as  nothing  could  be  distinguished  but 

V  2 


106 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


the  word  "  glue,"  it  was  not  deemed  of  sufficient  import- 
ance for  the  renewal  of  hostilities,  or  the  interruption  of 
the  general  harmony.  Good  humor  being  restored,  it 
was  all  the  more  hearty  after  these  unpleasant  little 
episodes ;  and  so  genial  an  effect  had  it  upon  Pearce, 
that  he  quite  forgot  his  resentment,  and  unbended  him- 
self again.  Gradually  he  began  to  tell  us  wild  stories 
of  his  Crusoe  life ;  how  he  had  lived  all  alone  for  nearly 
a  year  on  the  island  of  Massafuero  without  seeing  the 
face  of  man ;  how,  during  that  time,  he  sustained  him- 
self upon  roots  and  herbs,  and  likewise  by  catching  wild 
goats  in  traps ;  how  he  never  was  so  happy  in  his  life, 
and  never  had  any  trouble  till  he  left  that  island  in  a 
whaler,  and  came  here  to  Juan  Fernandez ;  how  for  two 
years  he  had  lived  on  this  island,  sometimes  alone,  and 
sometimes  surrounded  by  outlawed  Chilians;  how  on 
one  occasion,  while  up  in  the  mountains  hunting  goats, 
he  fell  down  a  precipice,  and  broke  his  arm  and  two  of 
his  ribs,  and  was  near  dying  all  alone,  without  a  soul  to 
care  for  him.  A  great  many  strange  stories  and  legends 
he  told  us,  too,  in  his  rude  way,  about  Juan  Fernandez; 
and  so  strong  was  his  homely  language,  and  so  fresh  and 
novel  his  reminiscences,  that  we  often  looked  round  in 
the  waning  light  of  the  lamp  for  fear  some  ghost  or 
murderer  would  steal  in  upon  us. 

As  well  as  I  can  remember,  one  of  his  strange  narra- 
tives was  substantially  as  follows.  There  was  all  the 
force  of  reality  to  give  it  interest ;  for  it  was  evidently, 
as  he  told  us,  a  simple  recital  of  facts. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  MURDER. 

About  five  years  ago  (I  think  he  said  it  was  in  1844), 
a  murder  was  committed  on  the  island  by  the  father  of 
one  of  the  present  Chilian  residents.    Pearce  was  then 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


107 


TEAGIC  FATE  OF  THE  SCOTCHMAN. 


A  Scotch  sailor,  it  appeared,  deserted  from  a  vessel 
that  touched  at  the  island  for  wood  and  water.  For  a 
time  he  concealed  himself  in  a  cave  among  the  cliffs  near 
the  bay.  When  the  vessel  sailed,  he  came  down  into 
the  valley  and  built  himself  a  hut  out  of  straw,  in  which 
he  resided  several  months  alone.  By  fishing,  and  catch- 
ing wild  goats  in  traps,  he  supported  himself  comfort- 
ably, and  was  becoming  reconciled  to  his  isolated  life, 
when  a  family  of  Chilians,  consisting  of  five  or  six  men 
and  women,  under  the  control  of  an  old  Spaniard,  father- 
in-law  of  one  of  the  younger  men,  came  over  about  this 
period  in  a  small  trading  vessel  from  Massafuero.  They 
had  been  living  there  for  some  time,  but  thought  they 
could  do  better  in  Juan  Fernandez.  There  were  no 
huts  standing  there  then  except  that  belonging  to  the 
sailor.  The  Chilians  prevailed  upon  him  to  let  them  oc- 
cupy a  part  of  his  house,  promising  to  build  themselves 
one  as  soon  as  they  could  cut  straw  and  wood  enough. 
Every  day  they  went  out  on  the  hill-sides  to  cut  the 
straw,  and  they  seemed  to  be  making  good  progress 
with  their  hut.    One  night  the  sailor,  as  he  lay  in  bed, 


108 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


overheard  one  of  the  Chilians  say  to  the  others,  "  We 
are  working  hard  every  day,  but  it  will  be  a  long  time 
before  we  can  get  a  house  built.  Neither  will  it  be  big 
enough  for  us  all  when  we  finish  it.  This  man  is  noth- 
ing but  a  heretic,  therefore  it  would  be  no  sin  to  take 
his  life.  Let  us  kill  him,  and  then  we  can  have  his  house, 
which  has  other  buildings  to  it,  without  the  trouble  of 
doing  any  more  work."  The  others  agreed  to  this,  all 
except  one  woman,  who  said  God  would  never  suffer 
them  to  prosper  if  they  committed  such  a  deed.  How- 
ever, they  silenced  her  by  threats,  and  then  talked  fur- 
ther upon  the  best  means  of  murdering  the  Scotchman. 
Having  been  a  beach-comber  for  many  years  in  Spanish 
countries,  he  understood  the  language,  and  it  so  hap- 
pened that  he  overheard  nearly  every  word.  Being  a 
powerful  man,  of  great  courage  and  fierce  temper,  he 
sprang  from  his  bed,  and  swore  they  must  leave  the  house 
at  that  very  instant,  or  he  would  cut  their  throats.  The 
woman  he  would  have  spared  this  treatment,  but  he 
knew  she  would  only  fare  the  worse  for  his  protection. 
Finding  him  resolute,  they  took  their  things  and  left  the 
house ;  but  after  they  were  out  in  the  dark,  it  being  a 
stormy  night,  they  begged  so  hard  for  shelter  that  he 
told  them  they  might  go  into  a  shed,  which  he  had  built 
some  distance  off  to  keep  goats  in.  Here  they  remained, 
without  daring  to  molest  him,  until  their  own  house  was 
completed.  In  the  mean  time,  the  suspicions  of  the  sailor 
were  lulled  by  their  friendly  behavior,  and  he  often  spent 
a  part  of  his  time  in  social  talk  with  them,  which  was 
the  more  agreeable  inasmuch  as  the  old  man's  daughter, 
who  had  taken  his  part  at  first,  fell  in  love  with  him,  and, 
although  jealously  watched  by  her  husband,  found  fre- 
quent chances  of  meeting  him  alone.  He  became  much 
attached  to  her,  as  well  on  account  of  her  attempt  to 
save  his  life  as  the  charms  of  her  person,  which  were 
well  calculated  to  excite  admiration  and  kindle  the  amor- 
ous flame.  She  was  a  very  beautiful  woman,  a  Chilian 
by  birth,  and  was  married  against  her  inclination ;  and 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


100 


coming  from  a  country  where  the  marriage  tie  is  not 
considered  so  sacred  as  it  is  in  more  northern  climes,  she 
had  but  little  scruple  in  yielding  to  her  guilty  love. 
His  manly  person  and  bold  bearing  had  attracted  her  in 
the  first  place,  and  these  stolen  interviews  only  served 
to  strengthen  the  passion  that  grew  up  between  them. 
At  this  period  they  were  joined  by  an  English  sailor, 


THE  LOYEUS. 


another  deserter,  who  took  up  his  quarters  with  the 
Chilians  in  their  new  abode,  and  became  a  member  of 
their  gang.  The  Scotchman  had  refused,  from  some  dis- 
like that  he  formed  to  this  man  on  first  sight,  to  take 
him  into  his  cabin.  This  led  to  a  mutual  hatred,  which 
was  soon  increased  by  other  causes.  The  Englishman, 
struck  by  the  beauty  of  the  young  woman,  whose  affec- 
tions the  other  had  won,  now  made  love  to  her  on  all 
occasions,  but  she  gave  him  no  encouragement.  He  at- 
tributed his  failure  to  the  Scotchman,  whom  he  secretly 
watched.  Fired  with  jealousy  and  deadly  hatred  to- 
ward his  rival,  he  resolved  upon  putting  him  to  death 
by  stratagem,  for  he  was  too  cowardly  to  undertake  it 
openly.  Having  learned  the  difficulty  that  had  previ- 
ously occurred,  he  took  occasion  to  tell  the  Chilians  that 
the  Scotchman  was  their  mortal  enemy,  and  only  awaited 


110 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


an  opportunity  to  murder  them  all,  so  as  to  get  entire 
possession  of  the  young  woman,  with  whom  he  had  al- 
ready formed  a  guilty  connection.  At  this  period  three 
Americans  deserted  from  a  whale-ship  and  joined  the 
Scotchman.  Through  some  accident,  or  most  likely  by 
foul  means,  his  hut  took  fire  soon  after,  and  was  burnt 
to  the  ground.  He  and  his  companions  were  obliged  to 
move  to  a  cave  near  by,  where  they  designed  living  till 
they  could  build  another.  Knowing  nothing  of  the 
schemes  of  the  English  sailor,  who  took  care  that  it 
should  not  be  found  out  through  the  woman,  they  were 
ignorant  of  the  hostile  intention  of  the  Chilians,  till  one 
day,  as  they  were  scattered  over  the  valley,  cutting  wild 
oats  for  their  cabin,  the  Englishman  told  the  old  man, 
who  was  the  leader  of  the  Chilians,  that  he  had  overheard 
the  other  party  say  they  were  going  to  murder  them  all 
that  night ;  and  prevailed  upon  him  to  muster  his  men 
together  secretly,  and  settle  the  matter  at  once.  They 
all  went  first  to  the  cave,  and  took  possession  of  the 
arms  left  there  by  the  Americans  and  their  leader.  The 
old  man,  followed  at  a  distance  by  his  comrades,  there- 
upon proceeded  to  the  valley  with  a  loaded  gun ;  and 
seeing  the  Scotchman  at  a  distance  from  the  others,  he 
stole  upon  him  and  shot  him  through  the  body  with 
slugs.  Badly  wounded,  but  not  mortally,  the  Scotch- 
man shouted  to  his  friends  that  he  was  shot ;  that  they 
must  follow  him  and  fight  for  their  lives,  upon  which  he 
ran,  covered  with  blood,  toward  the  cave,  followed  by 
the  Americans.  On  arriving  there  they  found  all  their 
fire-arms  gone:  they  fought  for  some  time  with  their 
knives,  but  were  finally  overpowered  by  the  Chilian  par- 
ty and  bound  hand  and  foot. 

Next  day  it  so  happened  that  a  whale-ship  came  into 
the  harbor  for  wood  and  water.  The  Americans  were 
carried  back  some  distance  and  hid  among  the  cliffs,  with 
an  armed  guard  over  them,  so  that  they  might  be  out  of 
the  way  when  the  people  from  the  ship  came  ashore; 
and  the  wounded  man  was  concealed  in  a  cave.  The 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


Ill 


Englishman  then  went  on  board  with  the  old  Chilian, 
and  told  the  captain  that  a  deserter  from  a  whale-ship, 
who  had  been  on  the  island  some  time,  had  undertaken 
to  murder  them,  and  they  had  shot  him  in  self-defense. 
Their  story  was  plausibly  told,  and  was  believed.  They 
said  the  man  was  not  dead,  and  they  asked  the  captain 
to  take  him  away,  as  they  wanted  to  get  rid  of  him. 
The  captain,  refused  to  do  this,  saying  he  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  a  deserter;  if  the  man  got  into 
trouble  by  his  misconduct,  he  might  get  out  of  it  the 
best  way  he  could.  When  the  vessel  sailed,  which  was 
the  next  day,  the  Chilians,  in  compliance  with  the  advice 
of  the  Englishman,  took  their  wounded  prisoner  out  into 
an  open  space,  and  shot  him  through  the  heart.  He  fell 
dead  upon  the  spot.  They  then  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground 
and  buried  him ;  and,  in  order  to  keep  his  spirit  from 
rising  upon  them  at  night,  they  erected  a  cross  over  the 
grave.    The  woman,  ivpon  hearing  that  her  lover  was 


GliAVE  OF  TlIE  SICRDEKLD  MAN. 


murdered,  fell  into  a  state  of  melancholy,  and  refused  to 
taste  any  food  for  many  days.  Such  was  her  distress, 
that  she  wandered  about  the  cliffs  like  one  bereft  of  her 
senses,  and  was  often  found  at  night  weeping  upon  his 
grave.  Indeed,  she  never  fully  recovered,  but  was  al- 
ways from  that  time  weakly  and  unsettled  in  her  mind. 


112 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


Another  vessel  came  into  port  in  the  course  of  a  few 
months,  and  the  affair  became  known  through  the  three 
Americans,  who  made  their  escape  and  got  on  board. 
News  of  the  murder  was  carried  to  Talcahuana  by  this 
vessel ;  and  as  soon  as  it  reached  Valparaiso,  a  small 
Chilian  cutter,  then  lying  in  the  harbor,  was  dispatched 
to  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez  to  capture  and  bring 
home  the  murderers.  On  their  arrival  in  Valparaiso 
they  were  taken  in  irons  to  Santiago,  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment, where  they  were  tried  and  sentenced  to  be  shot 
in  the  public  plaza.  Some  of  the  circumstances,  con- 
sidered palliating,  became  known  before  the  execution 
was  carried  into  effect,  and  their  punishment  was  com- 
muted to  five  years'  banishment  on  the  island  of  St. 
Felix. 

The  Chilian  government  still  holds  a  penal  settlement 
on  that  islaud.  All  criminals  of  a  desperate  character 
are  sent  there  and  subjected  to  hard  labor.  The  term 
for  which  these  murderers  had  been  banished  had  just 
expired  (in  1849),  and  it  was  supposed  by  the  present 
Chilian  residents  that  they  would  return  by  the  first 
opportunity  to  Juan  Fernandez. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  SKULL. 

During  the  recital  of  this  tragical  narrative,  Abraham, 
who  had  listened  to  every  word  with  intense  interest, 
became  strangely  agitated.  Several  times  it  was  appar- 
ently with  the  utmost  difficulty  he  could  refrain  from  re- 
lieving himself  of  something  that  produced  an  unusual 
effect  upon  his  mind.  Especially  when  it  came  to  the 
death  of  the  unfortunate  Scotchman,  I  thought  I  noticed 
that  he  was  intensely  excited.  At  first,  knowing  the 
tenderness  of  his  feelings,  I  attributed  this  extraordinary 
manifestation  of  interest  to  grief  and  pity  for  the  un- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


113 


happy  fate  of  the  beautiful  Chilian ;  but  I  soon  found 
that  it  proceeded  from  another  and  very  different  cause. 
~No  sooner  had  Pearce  concluded  than  he  exclaimed, 

"I'll  wager  a  thousand  dollars,  gentlemen,  that  the 
Scotchman  never  was  buried !" 

"  He  was  buried,  certain,"  said  Pearce ;  "  I  can  show 
you  the  place." 

"Then  there  is  some  strange  mystery  about  it,"  said 
Abraham,  somewhat  disappointed.  "This  very  day  I 
found  a  man's  skull,  which  I  am  now  quite  certain  has 
some  connection  with  this  tragedy." 

The  intense  excitement  produced  by  this  disclosure  is 
quite  indescribable.  Every  body  in  the  party  leaned 
forward,  with  starting  eyes,  and  gazed  with  breathless 
interest  at  Abraham.  He  had  purposely  withheld  mak- 
ing any  reference  to  the  affair  of  the  skull  till  a  fitting 
opportunity  should  occur  to  disclose  all  the  particulars, 
when  the  mind  of  every  individual  present  was  in  a 
proper  tone  of  solemnity  to  receive  so  important  a  com- 
munication. That  opportunity  had  now  occurred,  under 
the  most  favorable  and  unlooked-for  circumstances.  I 
never  saw  Abraham  so  excited  in  my  life  before — not 
even  on  the  occasion  of  his  late  unpleasant  difficulty. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  he,  "I  had  a  presentiment  before 
we  left  the  ship  that  this  expedition  would  result  in 
some  extraordinary  discovery.  You  may  judge  from 
the  facts  which  I  am  about  to  disclose  to  you  how  far 
this  presentiment  has  been  verified." 

He  then,  in  a  voice  of  becoming  solemnity,  went  into 
a  detailed  narrative  of  our  adventures  in  the  mountains. 
He  commenced  at  the  very  starting-point,  where  we 
separated  from  the  hunting  party ;  he  dwelt  vividly  on 
our  perilous  adventure  on  the  cliff,  stating  all  the  par- 
ticulars of  our  escape ;  how  we  climbed  up  a  perpendic- 
ular wall  of  rocks  four  thousand  feet  high  ;  how  we 
stood  upon  the  very  highest  pinnacle,  which  was  only 
ten  inches  in  diameter ;  how,  when  we  came  down  again 
to  the  base,  we  lay  perfectly  insensible  for  an  entire  hour ; 


114 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


and  the  wonderful  adventures  we  had  in  the  interior — 
the  walk  of  six  miles  directly  back  from  the  ocean  ;  our 
preservation  from  a  horrible  and  lingering  death  by 
thirst,  through  the  agency  of  a  little  bird ;  the  Enchant- 
ed Valley  that  we  explored,  and  the  two  wild  horses  we 
caught  entangled  in  the  bushes,  and  afterward  rode ; 
our  discovery  of  an  old  castle  built  in  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury by  Juan  Fernando ;  the  mysterious  marks  upon  the 
outer  wall ;  our  strange  and  startling  explorations  of  the 
interior  vaults  and  marble  halls ;  and  finally  the  discov- 
ery of  the  skull — the  skull  of  some  unfortunate  man  who 
had  crept  into  one  of  those  dreary  vaults,  where  he  died 
on  a  miserable  bed  of  straw,  all  alone,  without  a  soul 
near  him!  Afterward  how  he  (Abraham)  and  myself 
were  overtaken  by  a  frightful  tornado,  and  cast  down 
over  the  rocks  a  distance  of  three  miles  in  a  direct  line ; 
how,  during  this  terrible  fall,  he  had  the  misfortune  to 
strike  a  rock,  and  ruin  the  invaluable  relic  of  mortality 
which  he  had  put  in  his  pocket,  by  breaking  it  all  to 
pieces ;  but — 

"  Did  you  save  the  pieces  ?"  asked  a  voice  from  the 
corner.  Of  course  it  was  the  voice  of  the  Doubter.  A 
look  from  Abraham  silenced  him,  and  the  narrative  was 
resumed  : 

But  it  fortunately  happened  that  a  portion  of  the 
socket  of  one  eye  and  a  piece  of  the  forehead  remained 
entire,  which,  together  with  all  the  smaller  fragments, 
he  would  be  most  happy  to  exhibit  to  the  company ; 
premising,  however,  that  there  was  but  little  question  in 
his  mind,  from  all  the  particulars  of  Pearce's  tragical 
narrative,  that  this  skull  was  in  some  wray  or  other  con- 
nected with  it.  Possibly  it  might  be  that  the  unhappy 
young  woman,  who  it  appears  was  the  victim  of  an  in- 
ordinate passion  for  the  murdered  man,  bereft  of  her 
senses  by  his  tragical  death,  went  to  his  grave  at  night 
and  dug  up  his  body,  and  being  unable  to  carry  it  away 
at  once,  perhaps  she  cut  it  to  pieces,  and  carried  it  by 
degrees  up  to  her  secret  place  of  wailing  in  the  mount- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


115 


ains,  where  she  could  mourn  over  his  remains  without 
fear  of  discovery.  It  was  not  an  unreasonable  conjec- 
ture, he  thought,  considering  the  woman  was  insane.  In 
some  hour  of  despondency  she  had  probably  made  those 
mysterious  designs  which  had  led  to  the  discovery — the 
sketch  of  the  dead  body  of  her  lover ;  the  ship  that  left 
the  island  without  saving  him ;  some  pet  goat  that 
doubtless  accompanied  her  in  her  wanderings ;  the  chil- 
dren that  were  strangled,  and  all  those  vague  marks, 
which  indicated  the  character  of  her  thoughts. 

During  the  narration  of  these  adventures,  which  I 
must  confess  astonished  me  not  a  little,  well  as  I  knew 
the  enthusiastic  character  of  my  friend  (and  he  never 
was  more  in  earnest  in  his  life),  I  observed  that  Pearce 
had  doubled  himself  up  almost  into  a  knot,  covering  his 
face  with  his  hands,  and  heaving  convulsively,  as  if 
moved  by  some  internal  earthquake.  There  was  no 
sound  escaped  him,  but  it  was  quite  evident  that  he  was 
strangely  affected  by  Abraham's  narrative.  The  rest  of 
the  party  were  so  deeply  interested  in  the  whole  disclo- 
sure that  they  took  no  notice  of  him.  Could  it  be  that 
Pearce  himself  was  implicated  in  the  murder  ?  That  it 
was  all  a  fiction  his  being  in  Valparaiso  at  the  time  ? 
That  he  was  in  any  way  attached  to  this  unfortunate  fe- 
male, whose  sad  fate  had  aroused  all  our  sympathies  ? 

"  I'd  like  to  see  that  skull,"  said  the  Doubter. 

"  Here  it  is — or  what  remains  of  it,"  said  Abraham, 
drawing  forth  the  pieces  from  his  pocket ;  "  you  can  all 
see  it  if  you  wish." 

The  pieces  were  handed  round  and  examined  with  in- 
tense interest  and  curiosity. 

"  You  call  this  a  man's  skull  ?"  said  the  Doubter,  look- 
ing incredulously  at  a  piece  which  he  held  in  his  hand. 

"  I  do,  sir,"  said  Abraham,  sharply ;  "  have  you  any  ob- 
jection to  my  calling  it  a  man's  skull,  sir  ?" 

"  No,  none  at  all ;  you  may  call  it  a  dog's  skull  if  you 
like.  Pel  call  it  Robinson  Crusoe's  skull  if  I  owned  it. 
For  all  I  know  to  the  contrary,  it  is  his ;  but  I'd  like  to 


116 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


have  a  certificate  from  himself  to  that  effect  before  I'd 
place  much  confidence  in  my  owji  opinion,  if  I  thought 
so." 

The  biting  satire  of  these  remarks  touched  Abraham 
to  the  quick.  Nothing  in  the  world  would  have  pre- 
vented him  from  springing  upon  the  Doubter  at  that 
moment,  and  taking  summary  vengeance  upon  his  per- 
son, but  the  sudden  exit  of  Pearce,  who,  rising  from  his 
goatskin,  hurriedly  left  the  cabin.  This  produced  a  gen- 
eral murmur  of  disapprobation.  It  was  the  unanimous 
opinion  that  a  course  of  conduct,  resulting  as  this  did — 
compelling  a  man,  as  it  were,  to  leave  his  own  castle  for 
personal  security,  was  very  unbecoming ;  and  that  Abra- 
ham, being  the  chief,  although  perhaps  unintentional 
cause  of  it,  was  in  honor  bound  to  go  after  him  and  bring 
him  back. 

I  take  pride  in  saying  that  my  friend  was  nflt  the  kind 
of  man  to  resist  such  an  appeal  as  this.  He  immediate- 
ly left  the  hut  and  went  in  search  of  Pearce.  Mean- 
while we  took  occasion  to  administer  a  well-merited  re- 
buke to  the  Doubter;  and  to  declare  that  if  he  again  in- 
terrupted the  harmony  of  the  evening,  we  would  leave 
him  ashore  when  we  started  for  the  ship.  His  only  re- 
ply to  this  was,  that  he  hoped,  if  he  should  unfortunately 
die  in  a  cave  in  consequence  of  our  cruelty,  that  his  head 
would  make  a  better-looking  skull  than  the  one  Abra- 
ham had  found. 

In  about  ten  minutes  Abraham  and  Pearce  returned, 
both  having  a  very  strange  expression  upon  their  fea- 
tures. Pearce  looked  unnaturally  serious  about  the 
mouth,  but  I  fancied  more  knowing  than  usual  about  the 
eyes.  In  sitting  down  he  dropped  a  dollar,  which  he 
hastily  picked  up  and  put  in  his  pocket.  As  to  my 
friend,  I  thought  there  was  something  confused  and  de- 
jected in  his  look;  but  he  immediately  said  with  as- 
sumed spirits  when  he  came  in,  "All  right,  gentlemen  ; 
all  right.  The  whole  thing  is  settled ;  let  there  be  noth- 
ing more  about  it." 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


117 


Some  few  questions,  however,  were  asked  concerning 
the  skull,  but  all  the  satisfaction  Abraham  could  give 
was,  "You  have  the  particulars,  gentlemen;  you  must 
judge  for  yourselves."  Pearce  professed  to  know  noth- 
ing about  it. 

Harmony  and  good-humor  being  again  restored,  there 
were  numerous  calls  for  some  farther  reminiscences  of 
the  island. 

Pearce  said  he  didn't  know  whether  any  of  us  had 
ever  heard  of  the  governor's  vision  ;  if  we  hadn't,  may- 
be we'd  like  to  hear  something  about  it.  He  couldn't 
promise  that  it  was  all  true,  but  the  Chilians  here  be- 
lieved every  word  of  it ;  "  and,  likely  enough,"  he  added, 
looking  quietly  at  Abraham,  "  there  may  be  some  of  you 
that  can  account  for  it." 

"  Let  us  have  it !"  exclaimed  every  body  in  a  breath ; 
"  the  governor's  vision,  by  all  means." 

Pearce  then  fixed  himself  comfortably  on  his  goatskin, 
and,  putting  some  fagots  on  the  fire,  gave  us  in  substance 
the  following  history  of 

THE  GOVERNOR'S  VISION. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  GOVERNOR'S  VISION. 

The  highest  peak  on  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez  is 
called  the  Peak  of  Yonka.  It  forms  an  abrupt  precipice 
all  round,  of  several  hundred  feet.  Various  attempts 
have  been  made  from  time  to  time,  by  sailors  and  others, 
to  ascend  to  the  summit,  but  this  feat  has  never  been  ac- 
complished except  in  a  single  instance.  A  cross  still 
stands  upon  it,  which  was  erected  by  two  Chilians  many 
years  ago,  under  very  strange  circumstances.  It  appears 
that  the  Chilian  governor  at  the  time  of  the  penal  settle- 
ment in  Cumberland  Bay  went  out  riding  one  day  near 
this  mountain.    On  his  return  he  related  to  his  people  a 


118 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


strange  vision  which  he  had  seen  in  the  course  of  his 
ramble.  He  said  that,  while  looking  at  the  peak,  he  saw 
down  in  the  valley  that  lay  between  a  tall  man  dressed 
in  black,  with  a  black  hat  on,  mounted  on  a  horse  of  the 
purest  white.  The  strange  rider  turned  toward  him, 
showing  a  face  of  ghastly  paleness.  He  looked  at  him 
steadfastly,  with  "  eyes  of  fire,"  as  the  governor  declared, 
the  glare  of  which  made  the  air  hot  all  around.  The 
governor,  trembling  with  awe,  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  upon  which  the  strange  horseman  put  spurs  to  his 
horse,  and  rode  straight  up  the  precipice  to  the  summit 
of  the  peak,  where  he  stopped  a  moment  to  look  back. 
He  then,  upon  seeing  the  sign  of  the  cross  made  again, 
waved  his  hands  wildly,  as  if  in  despair,  and  plunged  out 
of  sight  on  the  other  side.  Being  a  devout  man,  and 
withal  a  believer  in  spirits,  the  governor  considered  this 
to  be  an  omen  of  some  impending  calamity,  which  could 
only  be  averted  by  planting  a  cross  on  the  peak.  For 
this  purpose  he  selected  two  criminals,  under  sentence 
of  death  for  the  murder  of  a  soldier,  and  offered  them 
their  liberty  if  they  would  make  the  ascent  and  erect  the 
cross.  In  the  one  case  there  was  the  certainty  of  death, 
in  the  other  a  chance  of  life.  The  criminals  therefore 
resolved  to  make  the  attempt.  Ropes,  ladders,  and  tools 
were  furnished  them  by  the  governor,  and  they  were  al- 
lowed such  provisions  as  they  required,  with  injunctions 
that  at  the  expiration  of  ten  days,  in  case  of  failure,  they 
would  be  executed.  For  eight  days  they  toiled  inces- 
santly. They  drove  spikes  into  the  walls  of  rock,  and 
day  by  day  went  up  a  little  higher,  letting  themselves 
down  again  at  night  by  ropes  to  the  base  of  the  preci- 
pice. On  the  eighth  day  they  reached  the  summit,  ready 
to  die  of  fright,  and  worn  to  skeletons  at  the  terrible  or- 
deal through  which  they  had  passed.  It  took  them  all 
the  next  day  to  recover  sufficiently  to  be  able  to  resume 
their  labors.  The  table  on  the  top  was  of  solid  rock,  not 
more  than  fifty  feet  in  diameter.  In  the  centre  was  a 
spring  of  clear  water  bubbling  up  and  running  over  the 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


119 


rocks.  One  of  them  bathed  in  this  water,  and  was  so 
refreshed  that  he  thought  it  must  have  some  magical 
properties.  He  went  over  to  the  edge  on  the  western 
side,  and  looked  down  to  see  where  it  fell.  Directly  be- 
neath him,  he  saw  a  line  stretched  from  two  points  of 
rock  over  the  precipice,  nearly  covered  with  linen  shirts, 
as  white  as  the  driven  snow,  and  apparently  of  the  finest 
texture.  He  called  to  his  comrade  to  come  and  witness 
this  wonderful  sight.  While  the  two  men  were  looking 
over,  there  came  a  tremendous  hurricane,  that  compelled 
them  to  throw  themselves  flat  on  their  backs  to  avoid 
being  blown  over  into  the  abyss.  After  the  hurricane 
had  passed  they  again  looked  over,  but  the  line  and 
shirts  had  disappeared,  and  they  saw  nothing  but  the 
bare  rocks.  They  then  fell  upon  their  knees  and  prayed, 
and  the  vision  of  an  angel  appeared  to  them,  telling  them 
to  put  up  the  cross  near  the  spring.  As  soon  as  they 
had  planted  the  cross,  they  let  themselves  down  by  the 
ropes,  and  hastened  to  tell  the  governor  of  the  strange 
adventures  that  had  befallen  them.  So  impressed  was 
he  by  their  wonderful  narrative,  that  he  immediately 
gave  them  their  freedom,  as  he  had  promised,  and  sent 
them  home  laden  with  presents ;  and  he  had  crosses 
erected  on  various  parts  of  the  island,  and  masses  per- 
formed by  the  soldiers  for  a  long  time  after. 

"  I  wouldn't  swear  to  it  all,"  added  Pearce,  looking 
again  toward  Abraham.  "  But  likely  some  of  you  gen- 
tlemen, who  have  more  schoolin'  than  I  have,  may  be 
able  to  account  for  it." 

Abraham  reddened  a  little  and  looked  confused,  but 
said  nothing.    A  voice  from  the  corner  broke  in, 

"I  know  exactly  how  it  happened;  nothing  is  easier 
than  to  account  for  it.  In  the  first  place,  it  didn't  hap- 
pen at  all.  The  governor  was  dyspeptic.  I'm  rayther 
dyspeptic  myself,  gentlemen,  and  I  know  what  sights  a 
man  sees  when  he  gets  the  horrors  from  dyspepsia.  I've 
seen  stranger  sights  than  that  when  it  was  bad  on  me — 
once,  in  particular,  I  was  troubled  a  good  deal  worse  than 
the  governor." 


120 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


"  Impossible,"  said  Abraham,  scornfully,  "  utterly  im- 
possible, sir,  that  you  could  ever  have  seen  any  thing 
half  so  strange  as  the  governor's  vision." 

"I  didn't  see  a  house  made  of  glue,"  retorted  the 
Doubter.  "  I  didn't  ride  on  wild  horses  ;  neither  did  I 
find  a  castle  with  a  skull  in  it.  I  didn't  carry  the  skull 
six  miles,  and  then  find  out  that  it  came  off  the  head  of 
a  four-legged  man ;  and  that  the  four-legged  man  was 
cut  to  pieces  by  his  lady-love;  but  I'll  tell  you  what  I 
did  see." 

"Hold,  sir,  hold  !"  cried  Abraham,  now  perfectly  furi- 
ous. "  By  heavens,  gentlemen,  I  can't  stand  such  insults 
as  these !  You  must  suffer  me  to  chastise  this  wretch. 
Miserable  poltroon!  do  you  dare  to  taunt  me  in  that 
manner  ?  I'll  see  you,  sir — I'll  see  you  to-morrow  morn- 
ing!" 

"  Likely  you  will,"  said  the  Doubter,  coolly,  at  the 
same  time  shrinking  back  a  little.  "Likely  you  will,  if 
you  look  in  the  right  direction.  Keep  your  dander  down 
till  then,  and  you'll  see  a  good  deal  better.  In  the  mean 
time,  gentlemen,  if  you  like  to  listen,  I'll  tell  you  what 
happened  when  the  dyspepsia  was  bad  on  me." 

Of  course,  any  proposition  calculated  to  restore  har- 
mony was  heartily  approved,  and  thereupon  we  were 
forced  to  listen  to — 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  DOUBTER'S  DYSPEPTIC  STORY. 

Once,  when  the  dyspepsia  was  bad  on  me,  I  went  to 
bed  rayther  low-spirited,  and  began  to  think  I  was  go- 
ing to  die.  I  thought  I  couldn't  live  till  morning.  My 
stomach  was  as  hard  as  a  brick-bat,  and  I  was  cold  all 
over.  The  more  cover  I  piled  on,  the  colder  I  got.  The 
minute  I  shut  my  eyes,  I  was  scared  to  death  at  the 
darkness.    I  felt  as  if  something  dreadful  was  going  to 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


121 


happen,  and  didn't  know  exact- 
ly what  it  was.  Sometimes  I 
thought  robbers  were  under  the 
bed,  and  sometimes  I  heard 
strange  noises  about  the  house. 
My  heart  stopped  beating  alto- 
gether; I  felt  for  my  pulse,  but 
couldn't  find  it  in  my  wrists  or 
any  where  else.  Every  bit  of 
blood  seemed  to  have  oozed  out 
of  me  in  some  mysterious  way, 
and  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
my  body  was  dead.  There  was 
no  dream  about  it.  I  could  move 
my  limbs  the  same  as  ever,  and 
was  as  wide  awake  as  I  am  this 
minute ;  but  there  was  no  sign  of  life  about  me  except 
that  my  mind  had  power  to  move  the  dead  flesh;  for  it 
was  cold  and  clammy  as  that  of  a  corpse.  Any  body 
else  would  have  given  up,  and  concluded  he  was  a  genu- 
ine corpse ;  but  you  see  I  was  not  the  sort  of  man  to  be- 
lieve such  a  thing  as  that  without  farther  proof.  I  there- 
fore lay  still  a  while,  in  hopes  I'd  get  warm  by-and-by, 
and  feel  better ;  but  I  kept  growing  colder  and  colder, 
and  at  last  was  so  cold  that  I  felt  like  ice  all  over.  I 
had  the  most  dreadful  and  gloomy  reflections.  Every 
thing  I  thought  about  seemed  blue,  and  dreary,  and  hope- 
less ;  every  body  unhappy;  and  the  whole  future  a  desert 
waste,  without  one  ray  of  light.  Despair  was  upon  me; 
I  cared  for  nothing ;  it  was  all  the  same  to  me  whether 
I  lived  or  died.  I  wanted  neither  help,  nor  pity,  nor 
love,  nor  life  —  all,  all  was  wrapped  in  despair.  The 
gloom  of  this  state  brought  on  a  kind  of  lethargy ;  a  to- 
tal unconsciousness  of  every  thing  external.  My  mind 
only  existed  and  operated,  as  it  were,  in  perfect  darkness. 
The  body  was  nothing  but  a  type  of  intense  darkness 
and  coldness  wrapped  around  the  spirit.  In  this  state  I 
at  length  heard  whisperings  in  the  air,  outside  of  me  as 

F 


122  CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 

I  thought.  They  drew  nearer ;  the  voices  were  strange 
and  unnatural ;  I  was  conscious  of  a  singular  sensation, 
for  a  time,  as  if  whirled  rapidly  through  space ;  then  I 
heard  the  voices  say,  in  low  tones,  "How  cold  he  is! 
how  miserably  cold  he  is !  but  we'll  soon  warm  him !" 
I  now  became  sensible  of  strong  gases  in  the  air,  but  they 
produced  no  farther  impression  than  the  mere  conscious- 
ness of  their  existence.  Wild  shrieks  and  moans,  and 
dreadful  hissing  sounds  arose  around  me.  "Here  we 
are,"  said  the  voices  ;  "glad  of  it,  for  he's  terribly  cold." 
"Put  him  there  in  that  big  furnace;  it'll  soon  warm 
him,"  said  another  voice,  in  a  tone  of  authority.  I  was 
then  tossed,  as  I  thought,  some  distance,  and  became 
suddenly  still ;  but  the  same  cold  and  impenetrable  dark- 
ness was  around  my  spirit.  "There,  that  fire's  out!" 
said  the  voice,  angrily ;  "  put  him  in  another,  and  keep 
him  well  stirred  up."  Again  there  was  a  movement, 
and  again  I  was  still,  but  not  so  still  as  before,  for  I  was 
conscious  of  a  jarring  sensation.  "Out  again!"  roared 
the  same  voice,  fiercely.  "  Out  again  !  you  don't  keep 
him  well  stirred  up !"  "  He's  as  cold  as  ice,"  said  the 
other  voices ;  "  we  can't  do  any  thing  with  him."  "  Try 
him  in  the  middle  furnace !"  said  the  chief  voice,  stern- 
ly ;  "  that'll  melt  the  ice  out  of  him !"  Again  I  was 
whirled  through  the  gases  and  deposited  in  some  im- 
perceptible place  ;  but  all  this  time  I  was  growing  colder 
and  colder.  There  was  a  pause,  and  then  the  voices 
said,  "  He  won't  burn,  sir ;  don't  you  see  he's  putting  the 
fire  out."  "  Out  again,  by  all  the  demons !"  roared  the 
chief  voice,  furiously.  "  Take  him  away !  Carry  him 
back  to  where  you  got  him.  The  man's  dyspeptic.  We 
can't  have  such  a  miserable  wretch  here!  By  Pluto! 
he'd  put  out  every  fire  we've  got  in  a  week.  Bear  a 
hand,  you  rascals!  for  may  I  be  blessed  if  I  ain't  freez- 
ing myself!"    Here  the  Doubter  paused. 

"Well,  sir,  well,"  said  Abraham,  ironically,  "have 
you  any  thing  further  to  say  on  the  same  subject?  any 
thing  equally  reliable  ?  Perhaps  you  can  inform  us  how 
you  got  warm  again  ?" 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


123 


"Well,  that  doesn't  properly  belong  to  the  story," 
said  the  Doubter,  looking  around  meaningly  upon  the 
company.  "  I  meant  that  it  should  end  there ;  but,  if 
you  insist  upon  it,  I'll  answer  your  question." 

"  Of  course,  sir ;  the  matter  requires  explanation.  It 
comes  to  rather  an  abrupt  conclusion." 

"  The  way  I  got  warm,  then,  was  this :  I  picked  up  a 
skull  when  I  was  leaving  the  premises.  It  was  full  of 
hot  glue.  The  fellows  that  were  carrying  me  got  their 
hands  frostbitten  and  had  to  let  go  at  last.  I  fell  on  an 
island.  The  first  thing  I  struck  was  the  top  of  a  mount- 
ain. I  slid  down  for  three  miles  without  stopping.  On 
the  way  I  broke  the  skull,  and  spilled  the  glue  all  over 
me,  which  made  me  slip  so  fast  that  I  was  quite  warm 
by  the  time  I  got  to  the  bottom." 

To  this  Abraham  made  no  reply.  Turning  away  from 
the  Doubter  with  ferocity  and  indignation  depicted  in 
every  feature,  he  looked  silently  around  upon  the  com- 
pany ;  his  breast  heaved  convulsively ;  his  hands  grasped 
nervously  at  the  hair  upon  his  goatskin ;  he  deliberately 
tore  it  out  by  the  roots ;  he  suppressed  a  rising  smile 
upon  the  face  of  every  individual  in  the  party  by  one 
more  look  at  the  Doubter — one  terrible,  scathing,  fore- 
boding look  of  vengeance  on  the  morrow;  and  then 
said,  in  a  suppressed  voice,  "  Gentlemen,  suppose  we  turn 
in  ;  it  must  be  twelve  o'clock." 


CHAPTER  XXL 

BAD  DREAM  CONCERNING  THE  DOUBTER, 

As  well  as  we  could  judge,  Abraham  was  right  in  re- 
gard to  the  time ;  and  being  all  tired,  after  the  story  of 
the  dyspeptic  man  we  set  about  arranging  our  quarters 
for  the  night.  I  must  admit,  however,  take  it  all  in  all, 
not  omitting  even  the  drawbacks  to  our  enjoyment  oc- 
casioned by  the  unfortunate  state  of  things  between  my 


121 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


friend  and  the  Doubter,  and  the  probability  of  a  hostile 
meeting  in  the  morning,  that  from  the  time  of  leaving 
home,  four  months  before,  I  had  not  spent  so  pleasant  an 
evening.  It  was  something  to  look  back  to  with  grati- 
fication and  enjoyment  all  the  rest  of  the  voyage,  should 
we  indeed  ever  be  able  to  resume  our  voyage. 

Pearce  now  pulled  down  an  additional  lot  of  goatskins 
from  the  rafters,  which  we  spread  on  the  ground  so  as 
to  make  a  general  bed  ;  and  having  piled  some  wood  on 
the  fire  and  bolted  the  door,  we  stretched  ourselves  in  a 
circle,  with  our  feet  toward  the  blaze,  and  made  a  fair 
beginning  for  the  night.  It  was  only  a  beginning,  how- 
ever, so  far  as  I  was  concerned,  for  not  long  after  I  had 
closed  my  eyes  and  begun  to  doze,  some  restless  gentle- 
man got  up  to  see  if  there  was  any  Spaniards  trying  to 
unbolt  the  door ;  and  in  stepping  over  me  he  contrived 
to  put  one  foot  upon  my  head,  just  as  I  was  trying  to 
get  from  under  a  big  rock  that  I  saw  rolling  down  from 
the  top  of  a  cliff.  I  was  a  good  deal  astonished,  upon 
nervously  grasping  at  it,  to  find  that  it  was  made  of 
leather,  and  had  a  human  foot  in  it,  and  likewise  that  it 
had  a  voice,  and  asked  me,  as  if  very  much  frightened, 
"  What  the  deuce  was  the  matter  ?"  This  again,  upon 
falling  into  another  doze,  brought  to  mind  the  footprint 


THE  FOOTPRINT  IN  THE  SAND. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


125 


in  the  sand,  which  occasioned  me  the  greatest  distress 
and  anxiety.  I  tried  to  get  away  from  it,  but  wherever 
I  went  I  saw  that  fatal  mark;  in  the  mountains,  in  the 
valleys,  in  the  caves,  on  the  rocks,  on  the  trees,  in  the 
air,  in  the  surf,  in  the  darkness  of  the  storm,  I  saw  that 
dreadful  footprint ;  I  saw  it,  through  the  dim  vista  of 
the  past,  upon  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  where  I  had  played 
in  boyhood ;  I  saw  it  again  in  my  first  bright  glowing- 
dream  of  the  island  world,  when,  with  the  simplicity  of 
childhood,  I  prayed  that  I  might  be  cast  upon  a  desolate 
island;  I  saw  it  in  the  cream -colored  volume  —  every 
where — back  in  childhood,  in  youth,  now  again  in  man- 
hood— from  the  first  to  the  last,  at  home,  abroad — wher- 
ever thought  could  wander,  I  saw  that  strange  and  won- 
drous footprint. 

In  trying  to  get  up  the  cliff  where  I  could  look  out 
for  the  savages,  I  fancied  the  tuft  of  grass  that  I  had 
hold  of  gave  way,  and  I  rolled  over  the  precipice  into 
the  sea;  and  this  was  not  altogether  an  unfounded  idea, 
for  I  actually  had  worked  myself  off  the  goatskin,  and 
was  at  that  moment  paddling  about  in  a  sea  of  mud. 
Again  I  fell  asleep,  and  a  great  many  confused  visions 
were  impressed  upon  my  mind.  I  saw  the  savages  down 
on  the  beach,  going  through  all  their  infernal  orgies. 


TI1E  SAVAGE  ORGIES. 


They  had  seized  upon  my  comrades,  and  were  roasting 
them  in  flaming  fires,  and  eating  the  fattest  of  them  with 


126 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


great  relish.  The  flesh  of  the  Doubter,  I  thought,  was 
so  lean  and  tough  that  they  were  unable  to  eat  it ;  but 
they  stripped  it  off  in  long  flakes,  and  hung  it  round 
their  necks,  and  danced  with  it  swinging  about  their 
bodies,  as  if  they  regarded  it  as  the  finest  ornament  in 
the  world.  His  head  was  cut  off  and  scalped,  and  his 
skull  lay  upon  the  ground.  I  thought  Abraham  had 
changed  again  into  Friday,  and  I  called  upon  him  to 
look  at  this  dreadful  scene,  and  help  me  to  kill  these 
wretched  cannibals  :  but  no  sooner  did  he  catch  sight  of 
the  Doubter's  skull,  than  he  ran  from  me  toward  the 
spot,  and  picked  it  up  with  a  horrible  shout  of  triumph, 
and  sticking  his  gun  into  it  he  held  it  in  the  air,  and 
danced  all  round  in  a  circle  laughing  like  a  devil.  The 
Doubter,  perceiving  this  in  some  strange  way  (for  he 
was  without  a  head),  jumped  to  his  feet,  with  his  flesh- 
less  bones,  and  ran  after  Abraham,  making  signs  for  his 
skull ;  but  Abraham  only  laughed  the  louder  and  danced 
the  more,  thrusting  the  skull  at  him  as  he  jumped  about, 
and  asking  him,  in  a  sneering  voice,  what  he  thought  of 
it  now  ?  was  it  a  dog's  skull  yet  ?  would  he  like  to  have 
it  fastened  on  again  with  glue?  how  had  he  contrived 
to  keep  out  of  the  fire?  were  the  savages  afraid  he 
would  put  it  out?  did  his  present  exercise  warm  him? 
each  of  which  taunting  questions  he  ended  with  a  wild 
laugh  of  derision,  and  a  snatch  of  his  favorite  song — 
"  Tinky  ting  tang,  tinky  ting  tang, 
Oh,  poor  Robinson  Crusoe  !" 

This,  I  thought,  so  incensed  the  Doubter  that  he  turned 
away  in  disgust,  and  walked  off  shaking  his  neck  as  if  it 
had  the  head  still  on ;  and  when  he  was  some  distance 
from  Abraham  he  sat  down  on  the  ground  and  slowly 
raised  his  right  hand,  placing  the  thumb  where  his  nose 
would  have  been  had  the  head  still  remained  in  its  place, 
and  then  his  left  hand  in  the  same  way,  fixing  the  thumb 
upon  the  little  finger  of  the  other,  and  thus  he  waved 
them  to  and  fro,  as  if  he  had  no  confidence  even  in  his 
own  skull  or  in  any  of  the  circumstances  connected  with 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


127 


it.  While  this  was  going  on,  the  savages  continued 
their  infernal  dance  on  the  beach.  I  now  raised  my  gun 
and  began  shooting  at  them,  killing  them  by  scores.  I 
could  see  their  dark  bodies  roll  over  into  the  surf,  and 
hear  their  yells  of  terror  at  the  report  of  the  gun  ;  and 
when  I  rushed  down  to  save  my  shipmates,  all  I  could 
see  was  Abraham  sitting  upon  a  rock,  pounding  the 
skull  into  small  fragments  with  a  big  stone  which  he 
held  in  both  hands,  and  the  fleshless  body  of  the  Doubter 
sitting  opposite  to  him,  slowly  waving  the  little  finger 
of  his  left  hand  at  him  in  the  same  incredulous  and 
taunting  manner  as  before.    And  thus  ended  the  dream. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  UNPLEASANT  AFFAIR  OF  HONOR. 

When  I  awoke  it  was  daylight.  My  mind  was  still 
harassed  with  the  bad  dream  concerning  the  Doubter. 
I  had  the  most  gloomy  forebodings  of  some  impending 
misfortune  either  to  him  or  my  friend  Abraham.  Every 
effort  to  shake  off  this  unpleasant  feeling  proved  entirely 
vain ;  it  still  clung  to  me  heavily ;  and,  although  I  was 
now  wide  awake,  yet  it  seemed  to  me  there  was  some- 
thing prophetic  in  the  dream.  Unable  to  get  rid  of  the 
impression,  I  got  up,  and  looked  around  upon  my  com- 
rades, who  were  all  sleeping  soundly  after  their  rambles 
of  the  previous  day.  Instinctively,  as  it  were,  for  I  was 
unconscious  of  any  fixed  motive,  I  counted  them.  There 
were  only  nine !  A  sudden  pang  shot  through  me,  as 
if  my  worst  fears  were  now  realized.  But  how?  I 
thought.  Where  was  the  tenth  man?  What  had  be- 
come of  him  ?  Was  it  Abraham  ?  Was  it  the  Doubter  ? 
Who  was  it?  for  the  light  was  not  strong  enough  to 
enable  me  to  distinguish  all  the  faces,  partly  hidden,  as 
they  were,  in  the  goatskins.  I  looked  toward  the  door ; 
it  was  unbolted,  and  slightly  ajar.    I  opened  it  wide  and 


128 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


looked  out;  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen  in  the  gray 
light  of  the  morning  but  the  bushes  near  the  hut,  and 
the  dark  mountains  in  the  distance.  It  was  time,  at  all 
events,  to  be  on  the  look-out  for  the  ship,  so  I  roused  up 
my  comrades,  and  eagerly  noticed  each  one  as  he  waked. 
The  Doubter  was  missing!  Could  it  be  possible  that 
Abraham's  threats  had  driven  him  to  run  away  during 
the  night,  when  all  were  asleep,  and  hide  himself  in  the 
mountains  ?  There  seemed  to  be  no  other  wTay  of  ac- 
counting for  his  absence.  "  Where  is  he  ?  what's  be- 
come of  him?  maybe  he's  drowned  himself!"  were  the 
general  remarks  upon  discovering  his  absence.  "  Come 
on !  we  must  look  for  him !  it  wTon't  do  to  leave  him 
ashore  !"  We  hurried  down  to  the  boat-landing  as  fast 
as  we  could,  thinking  he  might  be  there;  and  on  our 
way  saw  that  the  ship  was  still  in  the  offing.  The  boat 
was  just  as  we  had  left  it,  but  not  a  soul  any  where  near. 
We  then  roused  up  every  body  in  the  Chilian  quarter, 
shouting  the  name  of  the  missing  man  in  all  directions. 
He  was  not  there !  All  this  time  Abraham  was  in  the 
greatest  distress,  running  about  every  where,  without 
saying  a  word,  looking  under  the  bushes,  peeping  into 
every  crevice  in  the  rocks,  darting  in  and  out  of  the 
Chilian  huts,  greatly  to  the  astonishment  of  the  occu- 
pants, and  quite  breathless  and  dispirited  when  he  dis- 
covered no  trace  of  our  comrade.  At  last,  when  we 
were  forced  to  give  up  the  search  and  turn  toward 
Pearce's  hut,  where  we  had  left  our  host  in  the  act  of 
lighting  the  fire  to  cook  breakfast,  he  took  me  aside,  and 
said,  "  Look  here,  Luff,  I'm  very  sorry  I  had  any  diffi- 
culty with  that  poor  fellow.  The  fact  is,  he  provoked 
me  to  it.  However,  I  have  nothing  against  him  now ; 
and  I  just  wanted  to  tell  you  that  I  sha'n't  go  aboard  the 
ship  till  I  find  him.  If  you  like,  you  can  help  me  to  hunt 
him  up,  while  the  others  are  seeing  about  breakfast." 

"To  be  sure,  Abraham,"  said  I,  "we  must  find  him, 
dead  or  alive.  I'll  go  with  you,  of  course.  But  tell  me, 
as  we  walk  along,  what  it  was  Pearce  said  to  you  last 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


129 


night.  How  did  you  get  hiin  back  when  he  went 
out?" 

"  Oh,  never  mind  that  now,"  replied  Abraham,  look- 
ing, as  I  thought,  rather  confused. 

"  You  gave  him  a  dollar,  didn't  you  ?"  said  I ;  "  what 
was  that  for  ?" 

"  Why,  the  fact  is,  Luff,  he  made  those  marks  himself 
in  some  idle  hour  as  he  lay  basking  in  the  sun  up  there. 
He  told  me  that  he  often  spends  whole  days  among  the 
cliffs  or  sleeping  in  the  caves,  while  his  sheep  are  graz- 
ing in  the  valleys.  You  may  have  noticed  that  he  was 
rather  inclined  to  burst  when  he  left  the  hut.  The  fel- 
low had  sense  enough  not  to  say  any  thing  before  the 
company.  I  thought  it  was  worth  a  dollar  to  keep  the 
thing  quiet." 

"It  was  well  worth  a  dollar,  Abraham;  but  the  skull 
— what  about  the  skull  ?" 

"  Oh,  the  skull  ?  He  said  he  picked  it  up  one  day  out- 
side the  cave,  and  hove  it  up  there,  thinking  it  would  do 
for  a  lamp  some  time  or  other.  What  excited  me  so 
when  our  shipmate  spoke  about  it  was  that  he  should 
call  it  a  dog's  skull." 

"  And  wasn't  it  ?" 

"  Why,  yes ;  to  tell  the  truth,  Luff,  it  was  the  skull  of 
a  wild  dog ;  but  you  know  one  doesn't  like  to  be  told 
of  such  a  thing.  However,  we  must  look  about  for  the 
poor  fellow,  and  not  leave  him  ashore." 

By  this  time  we  had  reached  an  elevation  some  dis- 
tance back  of  the  huts.  We  stopped  a  while  to  listen, 
and  then  began  shouting  his  name.  At  first  we  could 
hear  nothing ;  but  at  length  there  was  a  sound  reached 
our  ears  like  a  distant  echo,  only  rather  muffled. 

"  Halloo  !"  cried  Abraham,  as  loud  as  he  could. 

"  Halloo !"  was  faintly  echoed  back,  after  a  pause. 

"  Nothing  but  an  echo,"  said  I. 

"It  doesn't  sound  like  my  voice,"  observed  Abraham. 
"Halloo!  where  are  you?"  he  shouted  again,  at  the 
highest  pitch  of  his  voice.    There  was  another  pause. 

F  2 


130 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


"  I'm  here !"  was  the  smothered  reply. 

"That's  a  queer  echo,"  said  Abraham;  "I'll  bet  a 
dollar  he's  underground  somewhere.  Halloo!  halloo! 
Where  are  you  ?"  This  time  Abraham  put  his  ear  to 
the  ground  to  listen. 

"  Here,  I  tell  you !"  answered  the  voice,  in  the  same 
smothered  tones.    "Down  here." 

"  He's  not  far  off,"  said  Abraham.  "  Come,  let  us 
look  about." 

We  immediately  set  out  in  the  direction  of  the  voice. 
The  path  made  a  turn  round  a  point  of  rocks  some  few 
hundred  yards  distant,  on  the  right  of  which  was  a  steep 
precipice.  On  reaching  this,  we  walked  on  some  dis- 
tance, till  we  came  to  a  narrow  pass,  with  a  high  bluff 
on  one  side,  and  a  large  rock  on  the  edge  of  the  preci- 
pice. The  path  apparently  came  to  an  end  here;  but 
upon  going  a  little  farther,  we  saw  that  it  formed  a  kind 
of  step  about  three  feet  down,  just  at  the  beginning  of 
the  narrow  pass,  between  the  rock  and  the  bluff,  so  that 
in  making  any  farther  progress  it  would  be  necessary  to 
jump  from  the  top  of  the  step,  or,  in  coming  the  other 
way,  to  jump  up.  It  was  necessary  for  us,  at  least,  to 
jump  some  way  before  long,  for  upon  arriving  at  the 
edge  we  discovered  a  pit  about  four  feet  wide  at  the 
mouth,  and  how  deep  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  tell  at 
the  moment.  We  thought  it  must  be  rather  deep,  how- 
ever, from  the  sepulchral  sounds  that  came  out  of  it. 
"  Here  I  am,"  said  the  voice,  "  down  in  the  hole,  here, 
if  I  ain't  mistaken,  but  I  wouldn't  swear  to  it ;  I  may  be 
somewhere  else :  it  feels  like  a  hole — that's  all  I  can  say 
about  it,  except  that  it's  tolerably  deep,  and  smells  of 
goats." 

"  A  goat-trap !"  exclaimed  Abraham,  in  undisguised 
astonishment.  "  By  heavens,  Luff,  he's  caught  in  a  goat- 
trap  !" 

"  It  may  be  a  goat-trap,  or  it  may  not.  I  want  you  to 
observe  that  I  neither  deny  nor  affirm  the  proposition. 
There's  not  much  room  in  it,  however,  except  for  doubt." 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


131 


"How  in  the  world  are  we  to  get  him  out?"  cried 
Abraham,  whose  sympathies  were  now  thoroughly 
aroused  by  the  misfortune  of  his  opponent.  "  We  must 
contrive  some  plan  to  pull  him  out.  Hold  on  here,  Luff; 
I'll  go  and  cut  a  pole." 

While  Abraham  was  hunting  about  among  the  bushes 
for  a  pole  of  suitable  length,  I  sprang  over  to  the  other 
side  of  the  pit,  and,  getting  down  on  my  hands  and  knees, 
looked  into  it,  and  perceived  that  it  spread  out  toward 
the  bottom,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  climb  up  with- 
out assistance. 

"This  is  rather  a  bad  business,"  said  I;  "what  in- 
duced you  to  go  down  there  ?" 

"I  didn't  come  down  here  altogether  of  my  own  will," 
replied  the  Doubter ;  "  credulity  brought  me  here — too 
much  credulity ;  taking  things  without  sufficient  proof ; 
assuming  a  ground  where  no  ground  existed." 

"How  was  that?    I  don't  quite  understand." 

"  Why,  you  see,  I  happened  to  come  along  this  way 
about  an  hour  ago,  to  see  if  the  sun  rose  in  the  north, 
and  not  dreaming  of  goat-traps,  I  took  it  for  granted 
that  I  could  jump  down  a  step  in  the  path  apparently 
not  more  than  three  feet  deep.  There's  where  the  mis- 
take was.  A  man  has  no  business  placing  any  depend- 
ence upon  his  eyes  without  strong  collateral  evidence 
from  all  the  rest  of  his  senses.  I  assumed  the  ground 
that  there  was  ground  at  the  bottom  of  the  step.  Ac- 
cordingly, I  jumped.  There  was  no  ground  for  the  as- 
sumption. To  be  sure  I  descended  three  feet,  according 
to  my  original  design ;  but  I  descended  at  least  twelve 
feet  more,  of  which  I  had  no  intention  whatever.  The 
fact  is,  there  was  some  rotten  brushwood,  covered  with 
straw  and  clay,  over  the  mouth  of  the  pit,  which  I  went 
through  without  the  least  difficulty." 

"  Are  you  hurt  ?"  said  I,  anxiously. 

"  Well,  I  was  considerably  stunned.  Likely  enough 
some  of  my  ribs  are  broken,  and  several  blood-vessels 
ruptured ;  but  I  won't  believe  any  thing  more  for  some 


132 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


time.  I've  made  up  my  mind  to  that.  I  may  or  may 
not  be  hurt,  according  to  future  proof." 

By  this  time  Abraham  came  running  toward  the  pit 
as  fast  as  he  could,  with  a  long  pole  in  his  hand,  which 
he  had  cut  among  the  bushes. 

"  This  is  the  best  I  could  get,"  said  he,  nearly  breath- 
less writh  haste,  and  very  much  excited ;  "  there  were 
some  others,  but  I  didn't  think  they  were  strong  enough." 
Without  farther  delay,  he  sprang  across  the  pit  to  the 
lower  side,  and  thrust  the  pole  down  as  far  as  he  could 
reach.  It  must  have  struck  something,  for  he  immedi- 
ately drew  it  back  a  little,  and  the  voice  of  the  Doubter 
was  heard  to  exclaim,  in  a  high  state  of  irritation, 

"  Halloo,  there  !  What  are  you  about  ?  Confound 
it,  sir,  I'm  not  a  wild  beast,  to  be  stirred  up  in  that 
way." 

"  Never  mind,"  said  Abraham,  "  I  didn't  intend  to 
hurt  you.  Take  hold  of  the  pole.  I'll  pull  you  out. 
Take  hold  of  it  quick,  and  hang  on  as  hard  as  you  can." 

"  No,  sir ;  it  can't  be  done,  sir.  I'll  not  take  hold  of 
any  thing  upon  an  uncertainty." 

"  But  there's  no  uncertainty  about  this,"  cried  Abra- 
ham, in  a  high  state  of  excitement ;  "  it's  perfectly  safe. 
Take  hold,  I  tell  you." 

"  Can't  be  done,  sir,  can't  be  done,"  said  the  Doubter ; 
"  there's  not  sufficient  proof  that  you'll  pull  me  out  if  I 
do  take  hold.  No,  sir ;  I've  been  deceived  once,  and  I 
don't  mean  to  be  deceived  again." 

"  Now,  by  heavens,  Luff,  this  is  too  bad.  He  doubts 
my  honor.  What  are  we  to  do  ?"  And  Abraham 
wrung  his  hands  in  despair.  "Halloo,  there,  I  say — 
halloo !" 

"  Well,  what  do  you  want  ?"  answered  the  voice  of  the 
Doubter. 

"  I  want  to  pull  you  out.  Surely  you  don't  think  I'll 
be  guilty  of  any  thing  so  dishonorable  as  to  take  advan- 
tage of  your  misfortune  ?" 

"I  don't  think  at  all,"  said  the  Doubter,  gloomily; 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


133 


"  I've  given  up  thinking.  You  may  or  may  not  be  an 
honorable  man.  At  present  I  have  nobody's  word  for 
it  but  your  own." 

Here  I  thought  it  proper  to  protest  that  I  knew  Abra- 
ham well ;  that  there  was  not  a  more  honorable  man  liv- 
ing. "  Besides,"  I  added,  "  there's  no  other  way  for  you 
to  get  out  of  the  pit." 

"  Very  well,  then,"  said  the  Doubter ;  "  I'll  take  hold, 
but  you  must  take  hold  too,  and  see  that  he  doesn't  let 
go.    Pull  away,  gentlemen !" 

Abraham  and  myself  accordingly  pulled  away  as  hard 
as  we  could,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  head  of  our  com- 
rade appeared  in  the  light,  a  short  distance  below  the 
rim  of  the  pit.  I  had  barely  time  to  notice  that  his  hair 
was  filled  with  straw  and  clay,,  when  Abraham,  in  his 
eagerness  to  get  him  entirely  clear  of  danger,  made  a 
sudden  pull,  which  would  certainly  have  accomplished 
the  object  had  the  Doubter  come  with  the  upper  part 
of  the  pole.  But  such  was  not  the  case.  On  the  con- 
trary, both  my  friend  and  myself  fell  flat  upon  our  backs  ; 


THE  DOUBTER  BACK.  AGAIN. 

and  upon  jumping  up,  we  discovered  that  the  Doubter 
had  fallen  into  the  pit  again,  carrying  with  him  the  low- 
er end  of  the  pole,  which  had  unfortunately  broken  off  at 


134 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


that  critical  moment.  There  he  lay  in  the  bottom  of  the 
pit,  writhing  and  groaning  in  the  most  frightful  manner. 

"He's  killed!  he's  killed!"  cried  Abraham,  in  perfect 
agony  of  mind.  "  Oh,  Luff,  to  think  that  I  killed  him  at 
last!  It  was  all  my  fault.  Here,  quick!  Lower  me 
down  !    I  must  help  him !" 

Before  I  had  time  to  say  a  word,  Abraham  seized  hold 
of  my  right  hand,  and,  directing  me  to  hold  on  with  all 
my  might,  he  began  to  let  himself  down  into  the  pit.  It 
required  the  utmost  tension  of  every  muscle  to  bear  his 
weight,  but  the  excitement  nerved  me.  "  Let  go,  now !" 
said  he,  as  soon  as  he  got  as  far  down  as  I  could  lower 
him  without  lowering  myself,  which  I  narrowly  escaped ; 
"let  go,  Luff !"  I  did  so,  and  heard  a  dull,  heavy  fall, 
and  a  groan  louder  than  before. 

"  What's  the  matter,  Abraham — did  you  hurt  your- 
self?" 

"  Not  myself,"  said  Abraham,  "  but  I'm  afraid  I  hurt 
him.    I  fell  on  him." 

"  You  did,"  groaned  a  voice,  faintly,  "  you  fell  on  me. 
I'm  tolerably  certain  of  that.  It  was  a  shabby  trick, 
sir ;  it  wasn't  bad  enough  to  throw  me  down  here,  with- 
out jumping  on  top  of  me  when  I  couldn't  defend  my- 
self!" 

"I  hope  you're  not  much  hurt,"  said  Abraham;  "it 
was  all  accident — I  swear  it,  on  my  sacred  honor !" 

"  Honor !"  groaned  the  Doubter,  contemptuously ;  "  is 
it  honorable  to  drop  a  man  into  a  pit,  and  knock  all  the 
breath  out  of  his  body,  and  then  jump  on  top  of  him ! 
Honor,  indeed !  But  it  was  my  own  fault :  I  was  too 
ready  to  take  things  without  proof." 

"  Now,  by  all  that's  human !"  cried  Abraham,  stung  to 
the  quick  at  these  unmerited  reproaches,  "  I'll  prove  to 
you  that  I  didn't  mean  it.  Get  up  on  my  shoulders — 
here,  I'll  help  you — and  climb  out.  Would  any  but  an 
honorable  man  do  that  ?" 

"  It  depends  upon  his  motives,"  replied  the  Doubter ; 
"  I  won't  take  motives  on  credit  any  more.    I'm  not  go- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


135 


ing  to  get  up  on  your  shoulders,  and  have  you  jump 
from  under  me  about  the  time  I  get  hold  of  something- 
above,  and  leave  me  to  fall  down  and  break  my  back,  or 
hang  there.  No,  sir,  I  want  no  farther  assistance.  I've 
made  up  my  mind  to  spend  the  remainder  of  my  days 
here." 

"  You  shdnH  stay  here  !"  cried  Abraham,  exasperated 
to  the  last  degree  by  these  taunts.  uBy  heavens,  sir, 
you  shall  be  assisted  !" 

Here  there  was  a  struggle  in  the  bottom  of  the  pit ; 
the  Doubter  writhing  like  an  eel  all  over  the  ground  in 
his  attempts  to  elude  the  grasp  of  Abraham ;  but  soon 
he  was  in  the  powerful  arms  of  my  friend,  who,  hold- 
ing him  up,  shouted  lustily,  "  Catch  hold  of  him,  Luff! 
Catch  him  by  the  hair  or  the  coat-collar!  Hold  on  to 
him,  while  I  shove  him  up !" 

'Bhe  writhing  form  of  the  Doubter  at  the  same  mo- 
ment loomed  up  in  the  light,  and  I  called  upon  him  to 
give  me  his  hands ;  but  he  resolutely  held  them  down, 
protesting  that  he  would  trust  no  man  for  the  future; 
that  he'd  die  before  any  body  should  deceive  him  again. 
In  this  extremity,  driven  almost  frantic  in  my  zeal  for 
his  safety,  I  grasped  at  the  collar  of  his  coat,  and  suc- 
ceeded, after  some  difficulty,  in  getting  a  firm  hold  of  it. 
"  All  right !"  I  shouted  ;  "  push  away  now,  Abraham !" 
In  spite  of  every  exertion  on  Abraham's  part,  however, 
our  unfortunate  comrade  rose  no  higher,  which  I  can 
only  account  for  by  the  depth  of  the  pit.  "A  little 
higher,  Abraham — just  two  inches — that's  it — all  right !" 
It  certainly  was  all  right  so  far ;  I  had  drawn  him  partly 
over  the  edge,  and  would  eventually  have  drawn  him 
entirely  over,  had  it  not  caved  in,  by  reason  of  the  united 
weight  of  both  on  it  at  the  same  time,  and  thus  the  mat- 
ter was  prevented  from  being  all  right  to  any  greater 
extent.  The  consequence  of  this  disaster  was,  that  we 
,  both  fell  heavily  upon  Abraham,  who,  unable  to  bear  our 
united  weight,  fell  himself  under  the  Doubter,  while  I, 
being  uppermost,  formed  a  kind  of  apex  to  the  pyramid. 


136 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


Our  fall  was  thus  broken  in  some  measure ;  and,  al- 
though Abraham  groaned  heavily  under  our  weight, 
yet,  as  fortune  would  have  it,  nobody  was  hurt.  The 
Doubter  was  the  first  who  spoke. 

"  I  told  you  so  !"  said  he,  faintly ;  "  but  you  icould  try. 
You  would  try,  in  spite  of  all  I  could  say,  and  now  you 
see  the  consequence.  It  appears  to  me  that  there  are 
three  men  caught  in  a  goat-trap  now  instead  of  one ;  but 
I'll  not  insist  upon  it ;  there  may  be  only  one.  My  eyes 
have  deceived  me  already,  and  likely  as  not  they  deceive 
me  now." 

"  No,  they  don't,"  said  Abraham,  in  smothered  tones ; 
"  I'm  quite  certain  there  are  two  of  you  on  top  of  me. 
Get  off,  if  you  can,  for  I  can't  breathe  much  longer  in 
this  position.  You  may  depend  upon  it,  there  are  three 
of  us  here." 

"I  shall  depend  upon  nothing  for  the  future,"  replied 
the  Doubter,  gloomily ;  "  I  depended  upon  a  pole  just 
now,  and  was  dropped  ;  I  put  faith  in  that  pole,  and  both 
the  faith  and  the  pole  were  broken  at  the  same  time,  and 
my  back  too  nearly,  if  not  quite  broken." 

"  But  I'm  not  a  pole,"  groaned  Abraham,  "  you  may 
depend  upon  that.    Get  off  now,  do,  for  heaven's  sake." 

"  You  don't  feel  like  a  pole,"  said  the  Doubter,  "  but 
you  may  be  one,  for  all  I  know ;  there's  no  telling  what 
you  are.  However,  I'll  get  off,  lest  you  should  break 
likewise." 

I  had  already  relieved  Abraham  of  my  weight ;  and 
being  now  entirely  free,  he  got  up,  and  we  began  to  con- 
sider how  we  were  to  get  out  of  the  pit. 

As  good  luck  would  have  it,  we  heard  some  voices  ap- 
proaching, which  we  soon  discovered  to  be  a  couple  of 
Chilians,  to  whom  the  trap  belonged,  coming  thus  early 
in  the  morning  to  see  if  it  had  caught  any  goats.  When 
they  looked  over  and  saw  the  earth  broken  in,  they  were 
greatly  rejoiced ;  but  no  sooner  did  they  perceive  that 
the  game  consisted  of  three  full-grown  men,  than  they 
ran  away  as  fast  as  they  could,  shouting  "  Diabolo ! 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


Diabolo  /"  Abraham,  who  had  been  studying  Spanish 
during  the  voyage,  understood  sufficient  of  the  language 
to  call  out  "  Americanos  !  Americanos  !  no  Diabolo  ! 
Per  amove  Deos,  viene*  qui  !  Amigoz  /  amigos  /  no 
Diabolo  /"  This  caused  them  to  halt ;  and  upon  its  be- 
ing repeated  a  great  many  times,  they  ventured  to  the 
edge  of  the  pit,  where  Abraham  gave  them  every  assur- 
ance that  we  were  three  unfortunate  Americans,  who  had 
fallen  into  the  trap  by  accident,  and  that  we  were  in  no 
way  related  to  the  devil.  Upon  this,  they  took  a  coil  of 
rope,  which  they  had  for  pulling  up  goats,  and  making  a 
noose  on  one  end,  they  let  it  down.  The  first  man  that 
was  fastened  on  was  the  Doubter.  It  required  the  uni- 
ted efforts  of  Abraham  and  myself  to  get  him  into  the 
noose  ;  but  we  eventually  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him 
go  up  through  the  hole  without  farther  accident.  I  then 
yielded  reluctantly  to  Abraham,  who  insisted,  as  a  point 
of  honor,  that  he  should  be  the  last  man.  Being  light,  I 
was  whirled  out  in  a  twinkling ;  and,  finally,  through 
this  providential  turn  of  affairs,  we  were  all  safely  landed 
outside  of  the  pit.  The  two  Chilians,  unable  to  divine 
the  causes  which  had  led  to  this  singular  state  of  things, 
looked  on  as  if  still  half  afraid  that  they  had  pulled  some 
very  bad  characters  out  of  the  ground,  muttering,  as  we 
shook  the  dirt  off  our  clothes,  u3fadre  de  Deos  !  Santa 
Maria  !  Padre  bonita  /"  I  considered  this  a  fitting 
opportunity,  in  view  of  the  happy  issue  of  the  disaster, 
to  effect  a  full  and  complete  reconciliation  between  Abra- 
ham and  the  Doubter,  and  therefore  proposed  that  they 
should  shake  hands  on  the  spot,  and  forego  all  future 
hostilities.  My  friend  immediately  held  out  his  hand  in 
the  frankest  manner ;  the  Doubter  hesitated  a  moment, 
as  if  afraid  that  it  might  result  in  his  being  pulled  back 
again  into  the  pit ;  but,  unable  any  longer  to  resist  the 
hearty  sincerity  of  his  opponent,  he  gave  his  hand,  and 
suffered  it  to  be  shaken ;  and  so  rejoiced  was  Abraham 
in  finding  every  thing  was  thus  happily  settled,  that  he 
shook  on  with  all  his  force  for  at  least  five  minutes,  dur- 


138 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


Log  which  the  two  Chilians,  knowing  no  good  reason 
why  a  pair  of  strange  gentlemen,  just  pulled  out  of  a 
goat-trap,  should  stand  shaking  hands  with  one  another, 
exhibited  the  utmost  surprise  and  consternation,  exclaim- 
ing, as  before,  "  Madre  de  Deos  !  Santa  Maria  !  Pa- 
dre bonita  /" 

We  contrived  to  make  up  the  sum  of  a  dollar  between 
us,  which  we  gave  to  the  men,  telling  them,  at  the  same 
time,  that  they  need  not  mention  this  matter,  should  they 
see  any  of  our  companions  before  we  left  the  island.  We 
then  started  for  Pearce's  hut,  which  we  soon  reached. 
The  rest  of  the  party  had  finished  breakfast,  and  were 
waiting  for  us  at  the  boat-landing.  They  had  left  direc- 
tions with  Pearce  that  we  were  to  follow  without  delay, 
with  or  without  the  missing  man,  as  the  ship  had  made 
a  signal  for  us  to  come  aboard.  While  the  Doubter  and 
myself  were  making  a  hasty  snack,  Abraham  took  a  piece 
of  bread  and  meat,  and  started  off  to  let  our  friends  know 
that  we  had  found  the  missing  man,  and  would  soon  be 
down.  In  a  few  minutes  we  concluded  our  snack,  and 
were  about  leaving  the  cabin,  when  Pearce  said  he  reck- 
oned some  of  us  had  left  a  bundle,  which  he  had  found 
in  the  corner.  The  bundle  consisted  of  a  handkerchief 
tied  up,  with  something  in  it,  which  I  quickly  discovered 
to  be  the  relic  we  had  found  in  Crusoe's  Cave. 

"  Where  did  you  get  that  ?"  said  Pearce. 

"  We  dug  it  up  in  Crusoe's  Cave ;  it  was  made  by 
Alexander  Selkirk." 

"  No  it  wasn't ;  it  was  made  by  me.  I  lived  there  a 
while  when  I  first  came  on  the  island,  and  made  it  my- 
self. I  know  the  mark.  I  made  it  about  a  year  and  a 
half  ago." 

"  But  how  is  that  ?"  said  I,  greatly  astonished ;  "  it 
looks  to  be  over  a  century  and  a  half  old." 

"  It  wasn't  baked  enough,"  said  Pearce ;  "  that's  the 
reason  it  didn't  keep  well.  The  name's  broke  off,  but 
there's  part  of  what  I  writ  on  it." 

"  Impossible !"  said  I.    "  Don't  you  see  4  A  S  


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


139 


170-?'  What  can  that  be  but  Alexander  Selkirk,  1704, 
which  was  just  the  time  he  lived  here !" 

u  No,  'taint ;  Alexander  Selkirk  never  made  that  'ere. 
I  made  it  myself.  I  put  my  name  on  it ;  but  the  name's 
broke  off.  I  writ, 1 A  Saucepan  maid  by  W.  Pearce,  1 7 
Oct.''  That's  all.  'Taint  no  use  to  me  now ;  you  may 
take  it,  ef  you  want  to." 

I  took  it  without  saying  another  word ;  tied  it  up 
again  in  the  handkerchief,  and  asked  Pearce  if  he  was 
going  down  with  us  to  the  boat-landing.  He  said  he 
would  be  down  there  presently.  So,  without  farther  de- 
lay, we  set  out  to  join  our  companions.  As  we  walked 
rapidly  along  the  path,  my  shipmate  suffered  strange 
sounds  to  escape  from  his  throat,  indicative  of  his  feel- 
ings. Suddenly  he  stopped,  as  if  unable  to  restrain  him- 
self any  longer. 

"  Where  are  you  going?"  said  he. 

"  Going  aboard,  to  be  sure ;  come  on,  they're  waiting 
for  us." 

"  You  are,  eh  ?  going  aboard,  eh  ?  Well,  any  thing  to 
humor  the  idea.  It  sounds  very  like  reality,  indeed — 
very." 

"And  why  shouldn't  it  ?"  said  I. 

"  Of  course,  why  shouldn't  it  ?  Look  here,  Luff,  you're 
rather  a  clever  sort  of  fellow." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?"  said  I,  a  little  embarrassed  at  so 
abrupt  an  opinion  in  my  favor. 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  said  the  Doubter ;  "  I  always  did.  Will 
you  just  have  the  goodness  to  look  into  my  mouth  (open- 
ing it  at  the  same  time  as  wide  as  he  could).  Now,  just 
cast  your  eyes  into  this  cavity." 

I  did  as  he  desired  me,  thinking  perhaps  the  poor  fel- 
low was  suffering  from  his  fall  into  the  goat-pit. 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "  there's  nothing  there,  so  far  as  I  can 
see,  except  a  piece  of  tobacco.  Your  tongue  looks  bad- 
ly." 

"  It  does,  eh  ?  No  matter  about  that.  This  is  what 
I  want  you  to  notice :  that  I  have  a  tolerably  big  swal- 


140 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


SWALLOWING  AN  ISLAND. 

lowing  apparatus,  but  I'm  not  the  style  of  man  that's  cal- 
culated to  swallow  an  entire  island.  Possibly  I  might 
get  down  a  piece  of  a  skull,  or  an  old  saucepan,  with  a 
grain  of  salt ;  but  I  can't  swallow  Juan  Fernandez,  with 
Robinson  Crusoe  and  Alexander  Selkirk — two  of  the  big- 
gest liars  that  ever  existed,  on  top  of  it.  No,  sir,  it  can't 
be  done." 

I  thought  myself  that  he  was  not  a  person  likely  to 
accomplish  a  feat  of  that  kind,  for  his  throat  was  not  un- 
commonly large,  and  his  digestive  organs  appeared  to  be 
weakly. 

"  No,  I  shouldn't  think  so,"  said  I.  "  You  don't  look 
like  a  man  that  could  swallow  so  much." 

"Very  well,  then  ;  I'm  willing  to  humor  the  idea.  I'll 
imagine  we're  going  aboard  from  Juan  Fernandez,  if 
you  like.  But  the  island  doesnH  exist !  No,  sir ;  it  reads 
very  well  on  paper ;  it's  a  very  romantic  place,  no  doubt 
— if  any  body  could  find  it ;  a  very  pleasant  spot  for  a 
small  tea-party  between  a  pair  of  wandering  vagabonds  ; 
but  it  doesn't  exist  any  where  else  but  on  the  maps. 
Don't  you  ever  try,  Luff,  to  make  me  believe  that  any 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


141 


of  these  things  which  we  imagine  to  have  occurred  with- 
in the  past  three  days  have  the  slightest  foundation  in 
fact." 

I  was  not  prepared  to  go  to  the  full  extent  of  denying 
the  entire  existence  of  the  island ;  but,  I  must  confess, 
there  was  a  good  deal  in  our  experiences  of  the  past 
three  days  calculated  to  inspire  doubt ;  so  much,  indeed, 
that  I  hardly  knew  what  to  believe  myself.  Even  now, 
after  the  lapse  of  four  years,  and  the  frequent  repetition 
of  all  these  adventures  to  my  friends,  which  has  given 
something  more  of  reality  to  the  doubtful  points,  I  would 
hardly  be  willing  to  swear  to  more  than  the  general  out- 
line ;  nor  am  I  quite  certain  that  even  the  main  incidents 
would  stand  cross-examination  in  a  Court  of  Doubters. 
Such,  reader,  is  the  deceptive  nature  of  appearances ! 

While  we  were  talking,  Pearce  overtook  us  with  a  bun- 
dle of  goatskins  which  we  had  bargained  for  the  night 
before,  and  we  all  went  down  to  the  boat-landing  togeth- 
er. There  we  found  our  shipmates  all  ready  to  start. 
The  Anteus  was  lying-to  about  eight  or  ten  miles  off, 
outside  the  harbor;  and  the  sea  being  rather  rough,  we 
thought  it  best  to  agree  with  Pearce  for  some  seats  in 
his  boat,  and  hire  a  couple  of  the  Chilians  to  help  us  at 
the  oars.  In  this  way,  having  stored  all  our  relics  in  the 
bow  of  the  boat  except  the  earthen  pot,  which  we  had 
the  misfortune  to  drop  overboard,  we  set  out  for  the 
ship,  bidding  a  general  good-by  to  Juan  Fernandez  and 
all  its  romantic  vales  with  three  hearty  cheers.  A  few 
heavy  seas  broke  over  us  when  we  got  outside  the  har- 
bor ;  and  we  saw  the  Brooklyn  weighing  anchor  and  pre- 
paring to  stand  out  to  sea,  and  a  small  brig  that  we  had 
met  in  Rio  beating  in ;  but,  with  the  exception  of  these 
little  incidents,  nothing  occurred  worth  mentioning  till 
we  arrived  alongside  the  Anteus.  The  captain  and  all 
the  passengers  received  us  in  silence;  not  a  word  was 
spoken  by  any  body  ;  no  sign  of  rejoicing  or  recognition 
whatever  took  place  as  we  stepped  on  board.  We 
thought  it  rather  a  cool  termination  to  our  adventures, 


142 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


and  could  only  account  for  it  by  supposing  that  this  was 
the  way  people  thought  to  be  dead  and  buried  are  usu- 
ally treated  when  they  come  unexpectedly  to  life  again 
after  a  great  deal  of  grief  has  been  wasted  upon  them. 
Nor  were  we  wrong  in  our  conjectures ;  for  in  about  five 
minutes  our  friends  on  board,  including  the  kind-hearted 
captain,  finding  themselves  entirely  unable  to  keep  up 
such  a  state  of  displeasure,  crowded  around  us  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  ship,  and  began  shaking  hands  with  us 
privately,  and  asking  us  a  thousand  questions  about  Juan 
Fernandez  and  Robinson  Crusoe.  We  introduced  our 
worthy  host  as  the  real  Crusoe  of  the  island,  and  brought 
both  him  and  the  Chilians  down  into  the  cabin,  where  we 
gave  them  as  much  as  they  could  eat,  besides  honorably 
acquitting  ourselves  of  our  indebtedness  by  paying  our 
friend  Pearce  all  the  ham  and  bread  we  had  promised 
him,  and  loading  him  with  sundry  presents  of  clothing 
and  groceries.  The  captain  then  ordered  the  yards  to 
be  braced ;  the  boat  swung  off  as  we  began  to  plow  our 
way  once  more  toward  the  Golden  Land,  and  before 
noon  the  island  was  blue  in  the  distance. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

DOCTOR  STILLMAN'S  JOURNAL. 

I  have  been  kindly  permitted  to  select  the  following 
from  the  private  journal  of  Dr.  J.  D.  B.  Stillman,  of  New 
York,  an  intelligent  fellow-passenger  on  the  Anteus.  It 
will  give  some  idea  of  the  state  of  feeling  on  board  dur- 
ing our  absence. 

"Sunday,  May  20th.  Eleven  passengers  left  the  vessel 
yesterday  in  a  small  boat,  with  the  intention  of  going 
ashore  on  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez  for  fruit  and  fresh 
provisions.  At  first  they  made  but  little  progress  ahead 
of  the  ship,  but  the  wind  soon  fell  away  entirely,  and 
about  noon  the  boat  could  not  be  seen  from  the  mast- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


143 


head.  Ad  other  party  of  eight  passengers  prepared  to 
start  about  two  o'clock  this  morning.  The  captain,  how- 
ever, was  so  uneasy  at  the  absence  of  the  other  boat,  that 
he  refused  liberty.  Lights  were  kept  burning  in  the  rig- 
ging during  the  night.  Toward  morning  a  breeze  sprung 
up.  Short  sail  was  carried  for  fear  the  boat  should  at- 
tempt to  reach  us  and  miss  her  way.  At  sunrise  it  "was 
again  calm.  The  islands  loomed  higher,  but  nothing 
could  be  distinguished.  At  11  A.M.  a  stiff  breeze  sprang 
up  from  the  direction  of  Masatierra,  and  the  day  was 
spent  in  beating  to  windward,  and  straining  our  eyes  in 
the  hope  of  discerning  some  traces  of  our  lost  comrades. 
The  wind  continued  to -fresh en  all  day.  At  8  P.M.  the 
sea  was  quite  rough.  No  light  could  be  seen  on  the 
shore.  The  captain,  who  is  well  acquainted  with  the  isl- 
and, says  if  they  attempted  to  land  on  the  south  side 
they  would  be  inevitably  swamped,  and  some  or  all  lost, 
as  the  shore  is  rock-bound,  and  the  only  safe  landing  is 
on  the  north  side,  fifteen  miles  farther  on.  The  proba- 
bility is  that  they  were  too  much  exhausted  to  attempt 
landing,  and  night  would  have  fallen  before  they  could 
have  reached  the  land  at  any  rate.  I  am  confident  in  the 
opinion  that  they  are  on  the  north  side  of  the  island,  and 
that  they  lay  all  last  night  on  their  oars,  and  landed  this 
morning,  too  much  exhausted  to  attempt  returning  the 
same  day.  I  have  great  confidence  in  some  of  the  com- 
pany ;  but  to-night  gloom  is  general,  and  a  fearful  pre- 
sentiment seems  to  rest  upon  the  minds  of  all  that  we 
shall  soon  have  to  record  a  melancholy  casualty. 

"Monday,  21s£.  The  wind  this  morning  is  blowing 
very  fresh.  We  have  been  all  day  beating  nearer  the 
island.  Objects  are  quite  distinct  on  the  south  shore. 
It  is  very  high  and  nearly  barren.  Indeed,  so  steep  are 
the  lofty  mountain  sides  that  there  does  not  appear  to 
be  soil  enough  adhering  to  the  rocks  to  support  a  spire 
of  grass,  except  near  the  summits,  which  are  over  a  thou- 
sand feet  in  height  where  they  rise  near  the  water;  and 
every  where,  so  far  as  wTe  can  see,  the  shore  is  rock-bound, 


144 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


upon  which  the  surf  beats  fearfully.  They  could  not  be 
so  wild  as  to  attempt  landing  on  this  side.  To-night  the 
wind  blows  a  gale,  and  we  shall  be  compelled  to  await  a 
change  before  we  attempt  the  windward  side.  Hopes 
are  getting  faint.  The  distress  of  those  who  are  most 
interested  in  the  parties  is  great.  Some  of  our  best  men 
were  of  the  company.  In  fact,  it  is  a  question  which  has 
absorbed  all  others,  What  has  become  of  the  boat  ?  To- 
night I  have  rather  congratulated  myself  that  I  did  not 
go.  To  add  to  our  perplexity,  the  air  is  becoming  thick, 
and  rain  is  coming  on.  The  clouds  hang  heavy  and  dark 
over  the  mountains.  At  nightfall  the  wind  suddenly 
changes  to  jS.W.  The  ship  is  put  about,  and  run  for  the 
north  side  of  the  island. 

"May  22d.  While  I  was  writing  last  night,  a  loud 
shout  called  us  all  in  great  haste  on  deck.  A  light  had 
been  discovered  on  the  shore,  and  hearty  cheers  ex- 
pressed the  deep  anxiety  of  all,  now  in  a  great  measure 
relieved.  There  was  no  doubt  that  they  had  reached 
the  shore,  and  that  some  of  the  number  were  surviving. 
I  felt  assured  that  all  was  right.  Signals  were  set  from 
the  rigging,  and  the  vessel  lay  to  during  the  night.  At 
dawn  of  day  we  were  twenty  miles  distant  from  the  isl- 
and. Made  all  sail  and  stood  in  for  the  harbor.  As  we 
neared  the  shore,  discovered  a  large  ship  at  anchor,  and 
a  brig  rounding  the  western  point.  Soon  after,  we  dis- 
tinguished the  tiny  sail  of  our  lost  boat  making  for  the 
ship.  The  captain,  in  order  to  show  a  proper  resentment 
for  the  disobedience  of  orders,  directed  that  no  demon- 
strations of  joy  should  be  made;  and,  as  they  came 
alongside,  they  were  received  in  silence." 

The  shades  of  evening  were  gathering  upon  the  hori- 
zon. A  murmur  of  life  arose  from  the  decks,  but  it  fell 
unheeded  upon  my  ear.  For  now,  and  for  many  days 
and  nights  in  our  dreary  voyage,  there  was  no  life  for 
me  but  in  the  past.  I  felt  that  my  happiest  hours  were 
there. 

Once  more  I  turned  to  look  upon  the  dim  island  that 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


145 


was  fading  away  in  the  south.  A  steady  breeze  wafted 
us  onward ;  the  sun's  last  rays  yet  lingered  in  the  sky  ; 
twilight  hung  upon  the  ocean,  and  its  gentle  spirit 

"  Rendered  birth 
To  dim  enchantments— melting  heaven  to  earth- 
Leaving  on  craggy  hills  and  running  streams 
A  softness  like  the  atmosphere  of  dreams." 


DREAMS  AND  REALITIES. 


And  was  this  the  last  of  the  island-world  ?  was  it  to 
be  in  future  years  a  mere  dream  of  the  past  ?  was  I  never 
more  to  behold  its  wild  grottoes  and  green  valleys  ?  was 
all  the  romance  of  life  to  fade  away  with  it  in  the  twi- 
light ?  was  it,  like  the  cream-colored  volume,  to  reveal 
enchantments  that  henceforth  could  dwell  only  in  the 
memory  ? 

Fresh,  and  fair,  and  wondrous  it  was  in  its  romantic 
beanty  when  the  mists  were  scattered  away,  and  I  beheld 
it  for  the  first  time  in  the  glowing  light  of  morning,  with 
the  white  sea-foam  sparkling  on  its  shores,  and  the  birds 
singing  in  its  groves.  How  rich  the  air  was  with  sweet 
odors ;  how  varied  and  changing  the  colors  upon  the  hill- 
sides ;  how  softly  steeped  in  shadows  were  its  glens  and 
woodland  slopes — what  a  world  of  romance  was  there! 

I  had  pressed  its  sod  with  my  feet ;  reveled  in  its 
streams  ;  lived  again  my  early  life  in  its  pleasant  valleys  ; 
passed  some  happy  hours  there  with  friends  from  whom 
I  soon  must  part;  and  now,  what  was  it?    A  dim  cloud 

G 


146 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


on  the  horizon,  sinking  in  the  sea,  fading  away  in  the 
shadows  of  night. 

I  looked  again ;  faintly  and  more  faintly  still  its 
mountains  loomed  above  the  deep.  Weary  with  gazing, 
I  closed  my  eyes,  and  for  a  moment  I  saw  it  again ;  but 
it  was  only  in  fancy.  I  looked — and  it  had  passed  away  ! 
Was  it  forever  ? 

"And  now  the  light  of  many  stars 
Quivered  in  tremulous  softness  on  the  air." 

Yet  not  forever  is  it  lost  to  me ;  for  often  in  the  busy 
world  I  pause  and  think  of  that  dream-land  in  the  far-off 
seas,  and  it  rises  before  me  as  I  saw  it  in  the  morning 
sun,  all  rich  and  strange  in  its  beauty ;  and  again  I  wan- 
der through  its  romantic  vales,  and  again  it  brings  back 
pleasant  memories  of  the  cream-colored  volume ;  and  as 
I  look  once  more,  startled  from  my  reverie  by  the  hum 
of  life,  it  fades  away  as  it  faded  then  in  the  shadows  of 
night,  but  not  forever.  Though  I  never  more  may  be- 
hold it  with  mortal  eyes,  yet  I  see  it  where  distance  can 
not  dim  the  sight :  it  hath  not  passed  away  forever. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


147 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

CONFIDENTIAL  CHAT  WITH  THE  HEADER. 

Now  that  we  have  finished  our  ramble  together,  and 
formed  something  of  a  speaking  acquaintance,  I  hope, 
my  dear  reader,  that  you  will  not  take  it  amiss  if  I  hold 
you  a  moment  by  the  button,  and  say  a  word  in  confi- 
dence. It  has  been  so  long  the  custom  of  adventurers 
to  speak  now  and  then  about  themselves,  that  I  assume 
the  privilege  without  farther  apology.  If  I  have  been 
so  fortunate  as  to  inspire  you  with  a  friendly  interest  in 
my  behalf  during  our  pleasant  wanderings  in  the  foot- 
steps of  Robinson  Crusoe,  I  am  sure  you  will  be  glad  to 
learn  that  it  has  always  been  my  greatest  ambition  to 
prove  myself  a  worthy  disciple  of  that  distinguished  ad- 
venturer. In  this  view  I  have,  as  you  may  have  noticed, 
adhered  to  simple  facts,  and  carefully  avoided  every  thing 
that  might  be  regarded  in  the  light  of  fiction,  though  the 
temptation  to  indulge  in  occasional  touches  of  romance 
was  very  difficult  to  resist.  Indeed,  so  thoroughly  have 
I  striven  to  become  imbued  with  the  true  spirit  of  Cru- 
soeism,  that  much  which  I  thought  at  first  a  little  doubt- 
ful myself,  now  seems  quite  authentic ;  and  I  think,  upon 
the  whole,  you  may  rely  upon  the  truthfulness  of  my 
narrative.  That  I  was  near  being  lost  in  an  open  boat, 
with  ten  others,  in  trying  to  get  ashore  on  the  island  of 
Juan  Fernandez,  I  conscientiously  believe ;  that  we  did 
get  ashore,  and  sleep  in  caves  and  straw  huts,  and  climb 
wonderful  mountains,  and  explore  enchanting  valleys,  I 
will  insist  upon  to  the  latest  hour  of  my  life ;  that  I  have 
endeavored  faithfully  to  describe  the  island  as  it  appear- 
ed to  me,  and  to  give  a  true  and  reliable  account  of  its 
psesent  condition,  climate,  topography,  and  scenery,  I  af- 
firm on  the  honor  and  veracity  of  a  traveler;  that  in 


148 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


every  essential  particular  it  has  been  my  aim  to  present 
a  faithful  picture  of  life  in  that  remote  little  world,  I  will 
swear  to  on  the  best  edition  of  Robinson  Crusoe :  more 
than  that  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  expect.    If,  how- 


ever, after  this  candid  avowal,  you  still  insist  upon  hav- 
ing a  distinct  and  emphatic  declaration  in  regard  to  any 
doubtful  point,  all  I  can  say  is,  that,  like  the  man  who 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


149 


made  a  statement  concerning  the  height  of  a  certain 
horse,  I  am  ready  at  all  hazards  to  stick  to  whatever  I 
said.  If  I  spoke  of  a  mountain  as  three  thousand  miles 
high  instead  of  three  thousand  feet,  why,  in  the  name  of 
peace,  let  it  be  three  thousand  miles ;  if  I  killed  any  sav- 


ages, I  am  sorry  for  it,  but  they  must  remain  dead — it  is 
impossible  to  bring  them  to  life  now ;  if  I  put  some  of 
my  own  ideas  into  the  heads  of  others,  it  must  have  been 
because  I  thought  them  better  adapted  to  the  subject 
than  what  those  heads  contained  already,  and  I  hold 
myself  responsible  for  them ;  if  at  any  time  I  imagined 
myself  to  be  the  original  and  genuine  Crusoe,  with  a 
man  in  my  service  called  Friday,  I  still  adhere  to  it  that 
no  Crusoe  more  certain  than  he  was  himself  ever  existed 
upon  that  island  ;  if,  in  short,  there  is  any  one  point  upon 
which  I  have  hazarded  the  reputation  of  a  veracious 
chronicler  of  actual  events,  or  a  faithful  delineator  of 
strange  scenes  in  nature,  I  hereby  declare  that  I  shall 
most  cheerfully  return  to  Juan  Fernandez  in  an  open  boat 
with  any  ten  readers  who  desire  to  test  the  matter  by  oc- 
ular demonstration,  and  thus  convince  the  most  skeptic- 
al that  I  have  not  made  a  single  unfounded  assertion. 
And  now,  in  the  hope  that  we  may  meet  again,  I  wish 


150 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


to  leave  you  a  trilling  souvenir  by  which  to  bear  me  in 
mind. 

One  of  the  sailors  on  board  the  Anteus  was  kind 
enough  to  make  me  a  suit  of  clothes  out  of  the  goatskins 
that  I  bought  of  Pearce.  He  made  them  according  to 
a  pattern  of  my  own,  which  I  intend  some  day  or  other 
to  introduce  in  the  fashionable  circles.  I  stowed  them 
carefully  away  in  my  berth,  but  the  rats  took  such  a  fan- 
cy to  them  that,  by  the  time  I  reached  California,  there 
was  nothing  left  but  the  tail  of  one  goat  upon  which  to 
hang  a  portrait ;  and  I  regret  to  say  the  accompanying 
sketch,  taken  from  memory,  affords  but  an  imperfect 
conception  of  the  suit  as  I  originally  appeared  in  it.  I 
trust  the  apparent  egotism  of  smuggling  my  likeness  into 
print  in  a  suit  of  goatskins,  on  the  pretext  of  exhibiting 
the  suit  itself,  will  be  excused  by  the  absolute  necessity 
of  filling  it  up  with  something.  At  the  same  time,  I 
must  be  permitted  to  observe  that  the  stiffness  is  in  the 
material,  and  not  in  the  person  of  the  author. 


THE  AUTHOR  A  LA  ROBIN 80N  CRUSOE. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


151 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

EARLY  VOYAGES  TO  JUAN  FERNANDEZ. 

The  group  known  as  Juan  Fernandez  consists  of  two 
chief  and  several  smaller  islands,  situated  in  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  about  four  hundred  miles  from  the  coast  of  Chili, 
in  latitude  33°  40'  south,  longitude  70°  west.  These  isl- 
ands were  discovered  in  1563  by  Juan  Fernando,  a  Span- 
ish navigator,  whose  name  they  bear.  The  largest — ly- 
ing nearest  to  the  main  land — is  that  which  is  commonly 
known  by  the  name  of  the  discoverer;  it  is  also  called 
Masatierra.  The  length  of  this  island  is  about  twelve 
miles,  the  breadth  six  or  seven.  Ninety  miles  west  is 
the  island  of  Masafuero,  so  named  to  distinguish  it  from 
Masatierra.  Both  are  composed  of  lofty  mountains ;  the 
harbors  are  small  and  unsafe,  and  the  shores,  for  the 
most  part,  are  rock-bound.  The  northern  aspect,  facing 
toward  the  equator,  is  slightly  wooded,  and  the  valleys 
are  fertile  ;  but  the  southern  side,  toward  Cape  Horn,  is 
entirely  barren.  There  are  two  or  three  large  rocks 
included  in  the  group,  the  chief  of  which,  lying  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  Masatierra,  is  called  Goat  Island, 
from  the  great  number  of  goats  found  there. 

According  to  the  early  navigators,  it  would  appear 
that  these  islands  must  have  been  visited  by  the  Indians 
of  South  America  long  before  their  discovery  by  Juan 
Fernando,  but  it  was  probably  only  for  the  purpose  of 
fishing  and  catching  seals. 

The  first  attempt  to  form  a  regular  settlement  was 
made  by  Fernando  himself,  who,  elated  by  his  discovery, 
and  the  prospect  of  colonizing  the  island,  endeavored  to 
obtain  a  patent  from  the  government  at  Lima.  Failing 
to  receive  encouragement  from  the  government,  he  re- 
solved upon  forming  a  settlement  himself;  and  he  visited 


152 


CKUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


the  island  soon  after,  taking  with  him  some  families,  with 
whom  he  resided  there  a  short  time.  A  few  goats,  which 
they  carried  with  them  from  Lima,  speedily  stocked  the 
island ;  and  this  is  probably  the  origin  of  these  animals 
in  Juan  Fernandez,  as  no  mention  is  made  of  their  having 
existed  there  before.  Eventually  the  colony  was  broken 
up  by  the  superior  inducements  held  out  to  settlers  in 
Chili,  which  at  this  time  fell  under  the  dominion  of  the 
Spaniards ;  and  the  Spanish  authorities  of  Lima  still  re- 
fusing to  grant  a  patent  to  Fernando,  he  was  forced  to 
abandon  all  hope  of  forming  another  and  more  permanent 
settlement. 

For  many  years  subsequently  this  group  was  the  resort 
of  pirates  and  buccaneers,  who  found  it  convenient,  in 
their  cruising  in  the  South  Pacific,  to  touch  there  for 
wood  and  water. 

Captain  Tasman,  a  Dutch  navigator,  sailed  from  Bata- 
via  in  1642,  and  visited  Juan  Fernandez  in  1643.  A 
translation  of  his  narrative,  in  Pinkerton's  Collection, 
contains  an  entertaining  account  of  the  island  at  that 
period.  He  dwells  enthusiastically  upon  the  advantages 
of  its  position,  the  salubrity  of  the  climate,  the  fertility 
of  the  soil,  and  strongly  urges  upon  the  Dutch  East  India 
Company  the  policy  of  forming  a  settlement  there,  as  a 
depot  for  their  commerce  in  the  Pacific. 

Alonzo  de  Ovalle,  a  native  of  Chili,  gives,  in  his  His- 
torical Relation  of  the  Kingdom  of  Chili,  printed  at  Rome 
in  1649,  a  very  entertaining  account  of  what  he  says  he 
"  found  writ  about  these  islands,  in  Theodore  and  John 
de  Bry,  in  their  relation  of  the  voyage  of  John  Scutten." 

Ringrose,  in  his  account  of  the  voyages  of  Captain 
Sharpe  and  other  buccaneers,  mentions  that  a  vessel  was 
cast  away  here,  from  which  only  one  man  out  of  the 
whole  ship's  company  escaped ;  and  that  this  man  lived 
five  years  alone  upon  this  island,  before  he  had  any  op- 
portunity of  getting  away  in  another  vessel. 

Captain  Watlin  was  chased  from  Juan  Fernandez  in 
1681  by  three  Spanish  ships.    He  left  on  the  island  a 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND.  153 

Musquito  Indian,  who  was  out  hunting  for  goats  when 
the  alarm  was  given,  and  was  unable  to  reach  the  shore 
before  the  ship  got  under  way  and  put  to  sea.  This  In- 
dian, according  to  Dampier,  whose  narrative  I  quote, 
"  had  with  him  his  gun  and  a  knife,  with  a  small  horn 
of  powder,  and  a  few  shot,  which  being  spent,  he  con- 
trived a  way,  by  notching  his  knife,  to  saw  the  barrel  of 
his  gun  into  small  pieces,  wherewith  he  made  harpoons, 
lances,  hooks,  and  a  long  knife,  heating  the  pieces  first  in 
the  fire,  which  he  struck  with  his  gun-flint,  and  a  piece 
of  the  barrel  of  his  gun,  which  he  hardened,  having 
learned  to  do  that  among  the  English."  With  such  rude 
instruments  as  he  made  in  that  manner,  he  procured  an 
abundant  supply  of  provisions,  chiefly  goats  and  fish.  In 
1684,  three  years  after,  when  Dampier  again  visited  the 
island,  they  put  out  a  canoe  from  the  vessel,  and  went 
ashore  to  look  for  the  Musquito  man.  When  they  saw 
him,  "he  had  no  clothes  left,  having  worn  out  those  he 
brought  from  Watlin's  ship,  but  only  a  skin  about  his 
waist."  The  scene  that  ensued  is  quaintly  and  touch- 
ingly  described  in  the  simple  language  of  the  narrative. 
"He  saw  our  ship  the  day  before  we  came  to  an  anchor," 
says  Dampier,  "  and  did  believe  we  wTere  English,  and 
therefore  killed  two  goats  in  the  morning  before  we  came 
to  an  anchor,  and  dressed  them  with  cabbage,  to  treat 
us  when  we  came  ashore.  He  came  then  to  the  sea-side 
to  congratulate  our  safe  arrival.  And  when  we  landed, 
a  Musquito  Indian,  named  Robin,  first  leaped  ashore, 
and,  running  to  his  brother  Musquito  man,  threw  him- 
self flat  on  his  face  at  his  feet,  who,  helping  him  up  and 
embracing  him,  fell  flat  on  his  face  on  the  ground  at 
Robin's  feet,  and  was  by  him  taken  up  also.  We  stood 
with  pleasure,"  continues  the  famous  buccaneer,  "to  be- 
hold the  surprise,  and  tenderness,  and  solemnity  of  this 
interview,  which  was  exceedingly  affectionate  on  both 
sides ;  and  when  their  ceremonies  of  civility  were  over, 
we  also  that  stood  gazing  at  them  drew  near,  each  of  us 
embracing  him  we  had  found  here,  who  was  overjoyed 

G  2 


154 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


to  see  so  many  of  his  old  friends,  come  hither,  as  he 
thought,  purposely  to  fetch  him." 

Five  Englishmen  were  left  on  the  island  at  another 
time  by  Captain  Davis.  After  the  vessel  had  sailed, 
they  were  attacked  by  a  large  body  of  Spaniards,  who 
landed  in  one  of  the  bays ;  but,  in  consequence  of  the  fa- 
cilities for  defense  afforded  by  the  cliffs,  they  were  ena- 
bled successfully  to  maintain  their  position,  although  one 
of  the  party  deserted  and  joined  the  Spaniards.  They 
were  afterward  taken  away  by  Captain  Strong,  of  Lon- 
don. 

Captain  Woodes  Rodgers,  commander  of  the  Duke 
and  Duchess,  privateers  belonging  to  Bristol,  visited 
Juan  Fernandez  in  February,  1709.  The  original,  and 
perhaps  the  most  authentic  account  of  the  adventures 
of  Alexander  Selkirk  is  contained  in  a  very  curious  and 
entertaining  narrative  of  the  voyage,  written  by  Captain 
Rodgers  himself,  from  which  it  appears  that  when  the 
ships  came  near  the  land,  a  light  was  discovered,  which 
it  was  thought  must  be  on  board  of  a  ship  at  anchor. 
Two  French  vessels  had  been  cruising  in  search  of  Cap- 
tain Rodgers's  vessel,  and  these  vessels  they  supposed  to 
be  lying  in  wait  for  them  close  to  the  shore.  The  boats 
w^hich  had  started  for  the  shore  returned,  and  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  action.  On  the  following  day,  see- 
ing no  vessel  there,  they  went  ashore,  where  they  found 
a  man  clothed  in  goatskins,  looking,  as  the  narrative 
says,  "  wilder  than  the  first  owners  of  them."  He  had 
been  on  the  island  four  years  and  four  months.  His 
name  was  Alexander  Selkirk,  a  Scotchman,  who  had  been 
master  of  the  Cinque  Ports.  Having  quarreled  with 
Captain  Stradling,  under  whose  command  he  sailed,  he 
was  left  ashore  at  his  own  request,  preferring  solitude 
on  an  unknown  island  to  the  life  he  led  on  board  this 
vessel.  Before  the  boat  that  put  him  ashore  left  the 
beach,  he  repented  of  his  resolution,  and  begged  to  be 
taken  back  again ;  but  his  companions  cruelly  mocked 
him,  and  left  him  to  his  fate.    It  was  he  that  made  the 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


155 


fire  which  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the  two  priva- 
teers. They  took  him  on  board,  and,  being  a  good  offi- 
cer, well  recommended  by  Captain  Dampier,  he  was  ap- 
pointed mate  on  board  Captain  Rodgers's  vessel,  and 
taken  to  England.  The  account  of  his  adventures  dur- 
ing his  long  residence  on  the  island  is  supposed  to  have 
formed  the  foundation  of  Robinson  Crusoe,  the  most 
popular  romance  ever  published  in  any  language.  A 
brief  but  very  curious  and  graphic  narrative  of  his  adven- 
tures was  published  in  London,  soon  after  his  arrival  in 
England,  under  the  quaint  title  of  u  Providence  display- 
ed ;  or  a  very  surprising  Account  of  one  Mr.  Alexander 
Selkirk,  Master  of  a  Merchant  Man  called  The  Cinque 
Ports  ;  who,  dreaming  that  the  Ship  would  soon  after  be 
lost,  he  desired  to  be  left  on  a  desolate  Island  in  the 
South  Seas,  where  he  lived  Four  Years  and  Four  Months 
without  seeiug  the  Face  of  Man,  the  ship  being  after- 
ward cast  away  as  he  dreamed.  As  also,  How  he  came 
afterward  to  be  miraculously  preserved  and  redeemed 
from  that  fatal  Place  by  two  Bristol  Privateers,  called 
the  Duke  and  Duchess,  that  took  the  rich  Acapulco  Ship, 
worth  one  hundred  Ton  of  Gold,  and  brought  it  to  Eng- 
land. To  which  is  added,  An  Account  of  his  Birth  and 
Education.  His  description  of  the  Island  where  he  was 
cast;  how  he  subsisted;  the  several  strange  things  he 
saw ;  and  how  he  used  to  spend  his  Time.  With  some 
pious  Ejaculations  that  he  used  during  his  melancholy 
Residence  there.  Written  by  his  own  Hand,  and  attest- 
ed by  most  of  the  eminent  Merchants  upon  the  Royal 
Exchange"    Quarto,  containing  twelve  pages. 

Lord  Anson  visited  this  island  in  1741  for  the  purpose 
of  recruiting  his  ships,  after  a  succession  of  melancholy 
disasters  in  their  passage  round  Cape  Horn.  An  accu- 
rate topographical  survey,  and  a  full  and  most  reliable 
description  of  Juan  Fernandez,  may  be  found  in  the  nar- 
rative of  that  expedition,  compiled  from  Lord  Anson's 
papers,  and  other  materials,  by  Richard  Walter,  chap- 
lain of  the  Centurion.    The  style  of  this  delightful  nar- 


156 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


rative  is  admirable  for  its  simplicity ;  and  the  informa- 
tion with  which  it  abounds  in  regard  to  the  topography, 
climate,  and  productions  of  the  island,  is  perhaps  the 
most  authentic  of  the  time. 

In  1743  Ulloa  visited  this  group.  He  gives,  among 
many  interesting  facts,  a  curious  relation  of  the  origin 
of  the  dogs  which  abound  there.  "  We  saw  many  dogs," 
he  says,  "  of  different  species,  particularly  of  the  grey- 
hound kind ;  and  also  a  great  number  of  goats,  which  it 
is  very  difficult  to  come  at,  artfully  keeping  themselves 
among  those  crags  and  precipices,  where  no  other  animal 
but  themselves  can  live.  The  dogs  owe  their  origin  to 
a  colony  sent  thither,  not  many  years  ago,  by  the  Presi- 
dent of  Chili  and  the  Viceroy  of  Peru,  in  order  totally  to 
exterminate  the  goats,  that  any  pirates  or  ships  of  the 
enemy  might  not  here  be  furnished  with  provisions. 
But  this  scheme  has  proved  ineffectual,  the  dogs  being 
incapable  of  pursuing  them  among  the  fastnesses  where 
they  live,  these  animals  leaping  from  one  rock  to  another 
with  surprising  agility." 

Don  George  Juan  touched  at  Juan  Fernandez  in  1744, 
and  made  several  observations  of  its  latitude. 

Don  Joseph  Pizarro  gives,  in  his  narrative  of  his  voy- 
ages, an  account  of  a  visit  a  few  years  later. 

In  1750  the  Spanish  government  founded  a  settlement 
on  the  principal  island,  and  built  a  fort  for  the  protection 
of  the  harbor.  In  the  following  year  both  the  fort  and 
the  town  were  destroyed  by  a  violent  earthquake.  They 
were  afterward  rebuilt  farther  from  the  shore,  and  were 
in  good  order  and  inhabited  in  1767,  when  Carteret  vis- 
ited the  island.  Soon  after  the  settlement  was  broken 
up,  and  the  town  and  the  fortifications  were  abandoned. 

The  Chilian  government  established  a  penal  colony  on 
the  same  spot  in  1819,  which,  according  to  some  author- 
ities, was  discontinued,  after  repeated  efforts  to  maintain 
it,  on  account  of  its  expense  ;  according  to  others,  in 
consequence  of  a  terrible  earthquake,  by  which  the 
houses  and  fortifications  were  destroyed. 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


157 


CHILIAN  OHJUUGBKNft 


TYlien  Lord  Cochraue  visited  the  island  in  1823,  as  it 
appears  from  a  synopsis  of  Howel's  Life  of  Selkirk,  there 
were  but  four  men  stationed  on  it,  apparently  in  charge 
of  some  cattle.  A  lady  who  accompanied  Lord  Coch- 
rane gives  the  following  description  of  its  condition  and 
appearance  at  that  time  :  "  The  island  is  the  most  pictur- 
esque I  ever  saw,  being  composed  of  high  perpendicular 
rocks,  wooded  nearly  to  the  top,  with  beautiful  valleys, 
exceedingly  fertile,  and  watered  by  copious  streams, 
which  occasionally  form  small  marshes.  The  little  val- 
ley where  the  town  is,  or  rather  was,  is  exceedingly 
beautiful.  It  is  full  of  fruit-trees  and  flowers,  and  sweet 
herbs,  now  grown  wild ;  near  the  shore  it  is  covered 
with  radish  and  sea-side  oats.  A  small  fort  was  situated 
on  the  sea-shore,  of  which  there  is  nothing  now  visible 
but  the  ditches  and  part  of  one  wall.  Another,  of  con- 
siderable size  for  the  place,  is  on  a  high  and  command- 
ing spot.  It  contained  barracks  for  soldiers,  which,  as 
well  as  the  greater  part  of  the  fort,  are  ruined  ;  but  the 


158 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


flag-staff,  front  wall,  and  a  turret  are  still  standing ;  and 
at  the  foot  of  the  flag-staff  lies  a  very  handsome  brass 
gun,  cast  in  Spain  A.  D.  1614.  A  few  houses  and  cot- 
tages are  still  in  a  tolerable  condition,  though  most  of 
the  doors,  windows,  and  roofs  have  been  taken  away,  or 
used  as  fuel  by  whalers  and  other  ships  touching  here. 
In  the  valleys  we  found  numbers  of  European  shrubs 
and  herbs — 4  where  once  the  garden  smiled.'  And  in 
the  half-ruined  hedges,  which  denote  the  boundaries  of 
former  fields,  we  found  apple,  pear,  and  quince  trees,  with 
cherries  almost  ripe.  The  ascent  is  steep  and  rapid  from 
the  beach,  even  in  the  valleys,  and  the  long  grass  was 
dry  and  slippery,  so  that  it  rendered  the  walk  rather  fa- 
tiguing; and  we  were  glad  to  sit  down  under  a  large 
quince-tree,  on  a  carpet  of  balm  bordered  with  roses, 
now  neglected,  and  feast  our  eyes  on  the  lovely  view  be- 
fore us.  Lord  Anson  has  not  exaggerated  the  beauty 
of  the  place  or  the  delights  of  the  climate.  We  were 
rather  early  for  its  fruits,  but  even  at  this  time  we  have 
gathered  delicious  figs,  cherries,  and  pears,  that  a  few 
days  of  sun  would  have  perfected.  The  landing-place  is 
also  the  watering-place.  There  a  little  jetty  is  thrown 
out,  formed  of  the  beach-pebbles,  making  a  little  harbor 
for  boats,  which  lie  there  close  to  the  fresh  water,  which 
comes  conducted  by  a  pipe,  so  that,  with  a  hose,  the 
casks  may  be  filled  without  landing  with  the  most  deli- 
cious wTater.  Along  the  beach  some  old  guns  are  sunk, 
to  serve  as  moorings  for  vessels,  which  are  the  safer  the 
nearer  in  shore  they  lie,  as  violent  gusts  of  wind  often 
blow  from  the  mountain  for  a  few  minutes.  The  height 
of  the  island  is  about  three  thousand  feet." 

"  With  all  its  beauties  and  resources,"  adds  the  biog- 
rapher of  Selkirk,  "  the  island  seemed  destined  never  to 
retain  those  who  settled  on  it ;  whether  from  its  isolated 
position,  at  so  great  a  distance  from  the  continent,  or 
from  some  other  cause,  is  uncertain.  Not  long  after 
Lord  Cochrane's  visit,  however,  it  received  an  accession 
of  inhabitants,  some  of  them  English,  who  settled  in  it 
under  the  protection  of  the  Chilian  government." 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


159 


These  islands  (Masafuero  and  Masatierra)  have  been 
convulsed  by  several  of  those  destructive  earthquakes 
which  prevail  to  such  an  alarming  extent  on  the  western 
coast  of  South  America.  In  1751  and  1835  the  destruc- 
tion was  unusually  great.  The  earthquake  of  1835  was 
attended  by  some  remarkable  phenomena.  An  eruption 
burst  from  the  sea,  about  a  mile  from  the  land,  where 
the  water  was  from  fifty  to  eighty  fathoms  deep.  Smoke 
and  water  were  ejected  during  the  day,  and  flames  were 
seen  at  night. 

Mr.  Richard  H.  Dana,  Jun.,  who  visited  Juan  Fernan- 
dez in  November,  1835,  on  his  voyage  to  California, 
gives,  in  his  admirable  narrative  (Two  Years  before  the 
Mast),  the  following  graphic  account  of  its  condition  at 
that  period :  "  I  was  called  on  deck  to  stand  my  watch 
at  about  three  in  the  morning,  and  I  shall  never  forget 
the  peculiar  sensation  which  I  experienced  on  finding 
myself  once  more  surrounded  by  land,  feeling  the  night- 
breeze  coming  from  off  shore,  and  hearing  the  frogs  and 
crickets.  The  mountains  seemed  almost  to  hang  over 
us,  and,  apparently  from  the  very  heart  of  them,  there 
came  out,  at  regular  intervals,  a  loud  echoing  sound, 
which  affected  me  as  hardly  human.  We  saw  no  lights, 
and  could  hardly  account  for  the  sound,  until  the  mate, 
who  had  been  there  before,  told  us  that  it  was  the 
'Alerta'  of  the  Spanish  soldiers,  who  were  stationed 
over  some  convicts,  confined  in  caves  nearly  half  way  up 
the  mountain.  At  the  expiration  of  my  watch  I  went 
below,  feeling  not  a  little  anxious  for  the  day,  that  I 
might  see  more  nearly,  and  perhaps  tread  upon,  this  ro- 
mantic, I  may  almost  say  classic  island.  When  all  hands 
were  called  it  was  nearly  sunrise,  and  between  that  time 
and  breakfast,  although  quite  busy  on  board  in  getting 
up  water-casks,  etc.,  I  had  a  good  view  of  the  objects 
about  me.  The  harbor  was  nearly  land-locked,  and  at 
the  head  of  it  was  a  landing-place  protected  by  a  small 
breakwater  of  stones,  upon  which  two  large  boats  were 
hauled  up,  with  a  sentry  standing  over  them.    Near  this 


160 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


was  a  variety  of  huts  or  cottages,  nearly  a  hundred  in 
number,  the  best  of  them  built  of  mud  and  whitewashed, 
but  the  greater  part  only  Robinson  Crusoe-like — of  posts 
and  branches  of  trees.  The  governor's  house,  as  it  is 
called,  was  the  most  conspicuous,  being  large,  with 
grated  windows,  plastered  walls,  and  roof  of  red  tiles,  yet, 
like  all  the  rest,  of  only  one  story.  Near  it  was  a  small 
chapel,  distinguished  by  a  cross  ;  and  a  long,  low,  brown- 
looking  building,  surrounded  by  something  like  a  pali- 
sade, from  which  an  old  and  dingy-looking  Chilian  flag 
was  flying.  This,  of  course,  was  distinguished  by  the 
title  of  Presidio.  A  sentinel  wras  stationed  at  the  chap- 
el, another  at  the  governor's  house,  and  a  few  soldiers, 
armed  with  bayonets,  looking  rather  ragged,  with  shoes 
out  at  the  toes,  were  strolling  about  among  the  houses, 
or  waiting  at  the  landing-place  for  our  boat  to  come 
ashore." 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Dana's  visit  this  settlement  was 
entirely  broken  up.  The  houses  and  fortifications  were 
destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  and  the  penal  establishment 
was  discontinued. 

From  time  to  time,  up  to  the  present  date,  there  have 
been  straggling  settlers  on  this  island,  but  there  has  been 
no  attempt  since  1835  to  colonize  it  permanently  until 
recently.  It  has  been  occasionally  visited  by  vessels  of 
different  nations  for  supplies  of  wrood  and  water,  and 
such  vegetable  productions  as  the  valleys  afford.  Amer- 
ican whalers  have  found  it  a  very  convenient  stopping- 
place  in  their  cruisings  on  the  coast  of  Chili  and  Peru  ; 
but  of  late  years,  the  whales  becoming  scarce  in  these 
seas,  they  are  forced  to  push  their  voyages  into  more  re- 
mote regions.  Many  still  touch  there,  however,  on  their 
way  to  and  from  the  northern  coast. 

At  the  time  of  the  writer's  visit  to  Juan  Fernandez 
(May,  1849),  the  gold  excitement  had  but  recently  bro- 
ken out,  and  vessels  bound  to  California  had  just  com- 
menced making  it  a  place  of  resort  for  refreshments  in 
their  outward  voyages.    Since  that  period,  it  is  stated  in 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


1G1 


the  newspapers  that  an  enterprising  American  has  taken 
the  island  on  lease  from  the  Chilian  government,  and  es- 
tablished a  settlement  upon  it  of  a  hundred  and  fifty 
Tahitians,  with  the  design  of  cultivating  the  earth,  and 
furnishing  vessels  touching  there  with  supplies  of  fruit 
and  vegetables. 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 

ALEXANDER  SELKIRK  AXD  ROBIXSOX  CRUSOE. 

It  is  stated  in  How  el's  life  of  Selkirk  that  the  singular 
history  of  this  man  (Alexander  Selkirk)  was  soon  made 
known  to  the  public,  and  immediately  after  his  arrival  in 
London  he  became  an  object  of  curiosity,  not  only  to  the 
people  at  large,  but  to  those  elevated  by  rank  and  learn- 
ing. Sir  Richard  Steele,  some  time  after,  devoted  to 
him  an  article  in  the  paper  entitled  "  The  Englishman," 
in  which  he  tells  the  reader  that,  as  Selkirk  is  a  man  of 
good  sense,  it  is  a  matter  of  great  curiosity  to  hear  him 
give  an  account  of  the  different  revolutions  of  his  mind 
during  the  term  of  his  solitude.  "When  I  first  saw 
him,"  continues  this  writer,  "  I  thought,  if  I  had  not  been 
let  into  his  character  and  story,  I  could  have  discovered 
that  he  had  been  much  separated  from  company,  from 
his  aspect  and  gesture  /  there  was  a  strong  but  cheerful 
seriousness  in  his  look,  and  a  certain  disregard  of  the  or- 
dinary things  around  him,  as  if  he  had  been  sunk  in 
thought.  In  the  course  of  a  few  months,"  as  it  appears 
by  the  same  writer,  "familiar  converse  with  the  town 
had  taken  off  the  loneliness  of  his  aspect,  and  quite  alter- 
ed the  expression  of  his  faceP 

"  De  Foe's  romance  of  Robinson  Crusoe  was  not  pub- 
lished till  the  year  1719,  when  the  original  facts  on  which 
it  was  founded  must  have  been  nearly  forgotten.  There 
is  no  record  of  any  interview  having  taken  place  between 
Selkirk  and  De  Foe,  so  that  it  can  not  be  decided  wheth- 


162 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


er  De  Foe  learned  our  hero's  story  from  his  own  mouth, 
or  from  such  narratives  as  those  published  by  Steele  and 
others." 

On  this  point  a  biographer  of  De  Foe  remarks  :  "  As- 
tonishing as  was  the  success  of  De  Foe's  romance,  it  did 
not  deter  the  curious  from  attempting  to  disparage  it. 
The  materials,  it  was  said,  were  either  furnished  by  or 
surreptitiously  obtained  from  Alexander  Selkirk,  a  mari- 
ner who  had  resided  for  four  years  on  the  desert  island 
of  Juan  Fernandez,  and  returned  to  England  in  1711. 
Very  probably  his  story,  which  then  excited  considerable 
interest  and  attention,  did  suggest  to  De  Foe  the  idea 
of  writing  his  romance;  but  all  the  details  and  incidents 
are  entirely  his  own.  Most  certainly  De  Foe  had  ob- 
tained no  papers  or  written  documents  from  Selkirk,  as 
the  latter  had  none  to  communicate." 

Robinson  Crusoe,  however,  can  not  be  considered  al- 
together a  work  of  fiction.  Without  adhering  strictly 
to  the  actual  adventures  of  Selkirk,  or  of  the  Musquito 
Indian  who  preceded  him,  it  gives,  in  the  descriptions 
of  scenery,  the  mode  of  providing  food,  the  rude  expedi- 
ents resorted  to  for  shelter  against  the  weather,  and  all 
the  trials  and  consolations  of  solitude,  a  faithfully-drawn 
picture  from  these  narratives,  and  a  most  truthful  and 
charming  delineation  of  solitary  life,  with  such  reflec- 
tions as  the  subject  naturally  suggested.  De  Foe  was 
the  great  medium  through  which  the  spirit  of  the  whole 
was  fused ;  it  required  the  splendor  of  his  genius  to  pre- 
serve*from  oblivion  the  lessons  therein  taught — of  the 
advantages  of  temperance,  fortitude,  and,  above  all,  an 
implicit  reliance  in  the  wisdom  and  mercy  of  the  Crea- 
tor. He  presents  them  in  a  most  fascinating  garb,  with 
all  the  originality  of  a  master-mind  ;  and  it  detracts 
nothing  from  his  credit  to  say  that  the  pictures  are 
drawn  strictly  from  nature. 

As  Captain  Rodgers  well  observes  in  his  simple  nar- 
rative of  the  adventures  of  Selkirk,  "  One  may  see  by 
this  that  solitude  and  retirement  from  the  world  is  not 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


163 


such  an  insufferable  state  of  life  as  most  men  imagine, 
especially  when  people  are  fairly  called  or  thrown  into  it 
unavoidably,  as  this  man  was  ;  who,  in  all  probability, 
must  otherwise  have  perished  in  the  seas,  the  ship  which 
left  him  being  cast  away  not  long  after,  and  few  of  the 
company  escaped.  We  may  perceive  by  this  story  that 
necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention,  since  he  found 
means  to  supply  his  wants  in  a  very  natural  manner,  so 
as  to  maintain  his  life,  though  not  so  conveniently,  yet  as 
effectually  as  we  are  able  to  do  with  all  our  arts  and  so- 
ciety. It  may  likewise  instruct  us  how  much  a  plain  and 
temperate  way  of  living  conduces  to  the  health  of  the 
body  and  the  vigor  of  the  mind,  both  of  which  we  are 
apt  to  destroy  by  excess  and  plenty,  especially  of  strong 
liquor,  and  the  variety  as  well  as  the  nature  of  our  meat 
and  drink ;  for  this  man,  when  he  came  to  our  ordinary 
method  of  diet  and  life,  though  he  was  sober  enough, 
lost  much  of  his  strength  and  agility." 

De  Foe  does  not,  as  may  be  seen  by  reference  to  the 
fourth  section  of"  Robinson  Crusoe,"  lay  the  scene  of  his 
narrative  in  Juan  Fernandez.  Robinson  starts  from  the 
Brazils,  where  he  has  been  living  as  a  planter,  on  a  voy- 
age to  the  coast  of  Guinea.  Driven  to  the  northward 
along  the  coast  of  South  America  by  heavy  gales,  the 
captain  of  the  vessel  found  himself  "  upon  the  coast  of 
Guinea,  or  the  north  part  of  Brazil,  beyond  the  River 
Amazon,  toward  that  of  the  River  Oronoco,  commonly 
called  the  Great  River  ;  and  began  to  consult  with  me," 
says  Robinson,  "  what  course  he  should  take,  for  the 
ship  was  leaky  and  very  much  disabled,  and  he  was  for 
going  directly  back  to  the  coast  of  Brazil.  I  was  posi- 
tively against  that ;  and  looking  over  the  charts  of  the 
sea-coast  of  America  with  him,  we  concluded  there  was 
no  inhabited  country  for  us  to  have  recourse  to  till  we 
came  within  the  circle  of  the  Caribbee  Islands,  and  there- 
fore resolved  to  stand  away  for  Barbadoes ;  which,  by 
keeping  off  to  sea,  to  avoid  the  indraught  of  the  Bay  or 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  we  might  easily  perform,  as  we  hoped, 


164 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


in  about  fifteen  days'  sail;  whereas  we  could  not  possi- 
bly make  our  voyage  to  the  coast  of  Africa  without 
some  assistance  both  to  our  ship  and  ourselves. 

"  With  this  design  we  changed  our  course,  and  steered 
away  N.W;  by  W.  in  order  to  reach  some  of  our  Eng- 
lish islands,  where  I  hoped  for  relief;  but  our  voyage 
was  otherwise  determined ;  for,  being  in  the  latitude  of 
12°  18',  a  second  storm  came  upon  us,  which  carried  us 
away  with  the  same  impetuosity  westward,  and  drove 
us  so  out  of  the  very  way  of  all  human  commerce,  that, 
had  our  lives  been  saved  as  to  the  sea,  we  were  rather  in 
danger  of  being  devoured  by  savages  than  ever  return- 
ing to  our  own  country. 

"In  this  distress,  the  wind  still  blowing  very  hard, 
one  of  our  men  early  in  the  morning  cried  out  Land! 
and  we  had  no  sooner  run  out  of  the  cabin  to  look  out, 
in  hopes  of  seeing  whereabouts  in  the  world  we  were, 
but  the  ship  struck  upon  a  sand,  and  in  a  moment  her 
motion  being  so  stopped,  the  sea  broke  over  her  in  such 
a  manner  that  we  expected  we  should  all  have  perished 
immediately ;  and  we  were  immediately  driven  into  our 
close  quarters  to  shelter  us  from  the  very  foam  and  spray 
of  the  sea." 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  that  Robinson  Crusoe 
was  not  wrecked  on  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez.  In 
all  probability  he  never  saw  that  island.  I  regret  the 
fact  as  much  as  any  body  can  regret  it,  because  I  always 
thought  so  till  I  referred  more  particularly  to  his  his- 
tory ;  but  a  due  regard  for  truth  compels  me  to  give  the 
facts  as  I  find  them. 

"The  History  of  Robinson  Crusoe,"  says  the  biogra- 
pher of  De  Foe,  already  quoted,  "  was  first  published  in 
the  year  1719,  and  its  popularity  may  be  said  to  have 
been  established  immediately,  since  four  editions  were 
called  for  in  about  as  many  months,  a  circumstance  at 
that  time  almost  unprecedented  in  the  annals  of  litera- 
ture. It  rarely  happens  that  an  author's  expectations 
are  surpassed  by  the  success  of  his  work,  however  aston- 


CRUSOE'S  ISLAND. 


165 


ishing  it  may  seem  to  others  ;  yet  perhaps  even  De  Foe 
himself  did  not  venture  to  look  forward  to  such  a  wel- 
come on  the  part  of  the  public,  after  the  repulses  he  had 
experienced  on  the  part  of  the  booksellers  ;  for,  incredi- 
ble as  it  now  appears,  the  manuscript  of  the  work  had 
been  offered  to,  and  rejected  by,  every  one  in  the  trade. 

"  The  author  of  Robinson  Crusoe  would  be  entitled  to 
a  prominent  place  in  the  history  of  our  literature  even 
had  he  never  given  to  the  world  that  truly  admirable 
production  ;  and  yet  we  may  reasonably  question  wheth- 
er the  name  of  De  Foe  would  not  long  ago  have  sunk 
into  oblivion,  or  at  least  have  been  known,  like  those  of 
most  of  his  contemporaries,  only  to  the  curious  student, 
were  it  not  attached  to  a  work  whose  popularity  has 
been  rarely  equaled — never,  perhaps,  excelled.  Even  as 
it  is,  the  reputation  due  to  the  writer  has  been  nearly  al- 
together absorbed  in  that  of  his  hero,  and  in  the  all-en- 
grossing interest  of  his  adventures  :  thousands  who  have 
read  Robinson  Crusoe  wTith  delight,  and  derived  from  it 
a  satisfaction  in  no  wise  diminished  by  repeated  perusal, 
have  never  bestowed  a  thought  on  its  author,  or,  indeed, 
regarded  it  in  the  light  of  a  literary  performance.  While 
its  fascination  has  been  universally  felt,  the  genius  that 
conceived  it,  the  talent  that  perfected  it,  have  been  gen- 
erally overlooked,  merely  because  it  is  so  full  of  nature 
and  reality  as  to  exhibit  no  invention  or  exertion  on  the 
part  of  the  author,  inasmuch  as  he  appears  simply  to 
have  recorded  what  actually  happened,  and  consequent- 
ly only  to  have  committed  to  paper  plain  matter  of  fact, 
without  study  or  embellishment.  We  wonder  at  and 
are  struck  with  admiration  by  the  powers  of  Shakspeare 
or  Cervantes ;  wTith  regard  to  De  Foe  wre  experience  no 
similar  feeling :  it  is  not  the  skill  of  the  artist  that  en- 
chants us,  but  the  perfect  naturalness  of  the  picture, 
which  is  such  that  we  mistake  it  for  a  mirror ;  so  that 
every  reader  persuades  himself  that  he  could  write  as 
well,  perhaps  better,  wrere  he  but  furnished  with  the  ma- 
terials for  an  equally  interesting  narrative." 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  CANNIBAL. 

In  the  summer  of  1849  I  had  occasion  to  visit  San 
Luis  Obispo,  a  small  town  about  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
miles  south  of  San  Francisco.  At  that  time  no  steamers 
touched  at  the  Embarcadera,  and  but  little  dependence 
could  be  placed  upon  the  small  sailing  craft  that  occa- 
sionally visited  that  isolated  part  of  the  coast.  The  trail 
through  the  Salinas  and  Santa  Marguerita  valleys  was 
considered  the  only  reliable  route,  though  even  that  was 
not  altogether  as  safe  as  could  be  desired.  A  portion 
of  the  country  lying  between  the  Old  Mission  of  Soledad 
and  San  Miguel  was  infested  by  roving  bands  of  Sonora- 
nians  and  lawless  native  Californians.  Several  drovers, 
who  had  started  from  San  Francisco  by  this  route  to 
purchase  cattle  on  the  southern  ranches,  had  never  reach- 
ed their  destination.  It  was  generally  believed  that  they 
had  been  murdered  on  the  way.  Indeed,  in  two  instan- 
ces, this  fact  was  established  by  the  discovery  of  the 
mutilated  remains  of  the  murdered  men.  No  clew  could 
be  obtained  to  the  perpetrators  of  the  deed,  nor  do  I 
know  that  any  legal  measures  were  taken  to  find  them. 
At  that  period  the  only  laws  existing  were  those  admin- 
istered by  the  alcaldes,  under  the  Mexican  system,  which 
had  been  temporarily  adopted  in  connection  with  the 
provisional  government  established  by  General  Riley. 
The  people  generally  were  too  deeply  interested  in  the 
development  of  the  gold  regions  to  give  themselves  much 


168  A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


concern  about  the  condition  of  other  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, and  the  chances  of  bringing  criminals  to  punishment 
in  the  southern  districts  were  very  remote. 


MIKAttJB  LN  THE  SALINAS  VALLEY. 


My  business  was  connected  with  the  revenue  service. 
A  vessel  laden  with  foreign  goods  had  been  wrecked  on 
the  coast  within  a  short  distance  of  San  Luis.  It  was 
necessary  that  immediate  official  inquiry  should  be  made 
into  the  circumstances,  with  a  view  of  securing  payment 
of  duties  upon  the  cargo.  I  was  also  charged  with  a 
commission  to  establish  a  line  of  post-offices  on  the  land- 
route  to  Los  Angeles,  and  enter  into  contracts  for  the 
carrying  of  the  mails. 

By  the  advice  of  some  friends  in  San  Francisco,  I  pur- 
chased a  fine-looking  mule  recently  from  the  Colorado. 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


169 


The  owner,  a  Texan  gentleman,  assured  me  that  he  had 
never  mounted  a  better  animal ;  and,  so  far  as  I  was  capa- 
ble of  judging,  the  recommendation  seemed  to  be  justly 
merited.  I  willingly  paid  him  his  price — three  hundred 
dollars.  Next  day,  having  provided  myself  with  a  good 
pair  of  blankets,  a  few  pounds  of  coffee,  sugar,  and  hard 
bread,  and  a  hunting-knife  and  tin  cup,  I  bade  adieu  to  my 
friends  and  set  out  on  my  journey.  A  tedious  voyage 
of  six  months  around  Cape  Horn  had  given  me  a  peculiar 
relish  for  shore-life.  There  was  something  very  pleasant 
in  the  novelty  of  the  scenery  and  the  inspiring  freshness 
of  the  air.  The  rush  of  emigrants  from  all  parts  of  the 
world  ;  the  amusing  scenes  along  the  road  ;  the  free,  so- 
cial, and  hopeful  spirit  which  prevailed  among  all  classes; 
the  clear,  bright  sky,  and  wonderful  richness  of  coloring 
that  characterized  the  atmosphere,  all  contributed  to  pro- 
duce the  most  agreeable  sensations.  It  was  a  long  and 
rather  hazardous  journey  I  had  undertaken,  and  it  would 
doubtless  be  very  lonesome  after  passing  San  Jose ;  but 
the  idea  of  depending  solely  on  my  own  resources,  and 
becoming,  in  some  sort,  an  adventurer  in  an  almost  un- 
known country,  had  something  in  it  irresistibly  captiva- 
ting to  one  of  my  roving  disposition.  I  had  traveled 
through  Texas  under  nearly  similar  circumstances,  and 
enjoyed- many  pleasant  recollections  of  the  trip.  There 
is  a  charm  about  this  wild  sort  of  life,  the  entire  freedom 
from  restraint,  the  luxury  of  fresh  air,  the  camp  under 
the  trees,  with  a  bright  fire  and  a  canopy  of  stars  over- 
head, that,  once  experienced,  can  never  be  forgotten. 

Nothing  of  importance  occurred  till  the  evening  of  the 
fourth  day.  I  met  crowds  of  travelers  all  along  the  road, 
singing  and  shouting  in  sheer  exuberance  of  spirit ;  and 
not  unfrequently  had  some  very  pleasant  and  congenial 
company,  bound  either  to  the  mines  or  in  search  of  va- 
cant government  land  for  the  location  of  claims.  The 
road  through  the  valleys  of  Santa  Clara  and  San  Jose 
was  perfectly  enchanting,  winding  through  oak  groves, 
and  fields  of  wild  oats  and  flowers;  and  nothing  could 

II 


no 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


exceed  the  balminess  of  the  air.  Indeed,  the  whole  coun- 
try seemed  to  me  more  like  a  succession  of  beautiful 
parks,  in  which  each  turn  of  the  road  might  bring  in  view 
some  elegant  mansion,  with  sweeping  lawns  in  front,  and 
graceful  ladies  mounted  on  palfreys,  than  a  rude  and  un- 
civilized part  of  the  world  hitherto  almost  unknown. 

I  stopped  a  night  at  San  Jose,  where  I  was  most  hos- 
pitably received  by  the  alcalde,  an  American  gentleman 
of  intelligence,  to  whom  I  had  a  letter  of  introduction. 
Next  day,  after  a  pleasant  ride  of  forty-five  miles,  I  reach- 
ed the  Mission  of  San  Juan,  one  of  the  most  eligibly  lo- 
cated of  all  the  old  missionary  establishments.  It  was 
now  in  a  state  of  decay.  The  vineyards  were  but  par- 
tially cultivated,  and  the  secos,  or  ditches  for  the  irriga- 
tion of  the  land,  were  entirely  dry.  I  got  some  very 
good  pears  from  the  old  Spaniard  in  charge  of  the  mis- 
sion— a  rare  luxury  after  a  long  sea-voyage.  The  only 
tavern  in  the  place  was  the  "  United  States,"  kept  by  an 
American  and  his  wife  in  an  old  adobe  house,  originally 
apart  of  the  missionary  establishment.  Having  secured 
accommodations  for  my  mule,  I  took  up  my  quarters  for 
the  night  at  the  "  United  States."  The  woman  seemed 
to  be  the  principal  manager.  Perhaps  I  might  have  no- 
ticed her  a  little  closely,  since  she  was  the  only  white 
woman  I  had  enjoyed  the  opportunity  of  conversing  with 
for  some  time.  It  was  very  certain,  however,  that  she 
struck  me  as  an  uncommon  person  —  tall,  raw-boned, 
sharp,  and  masculine — with  a  wild  and  piercing  expres- 
sion of  eye,  and  a  smile  singularly  startling  and  unfemi- 
nine.  I  even  fancied  that  her  teeth  were  long  and  point- 
ed, and  that  she  resembled  a  picture  of  an  ogress  I  had 
seen  when  a  child.  The  man  was  a  subdued  and  melan- 
choly-looking person,  presenting  no  particular  trait  of 
character  in  his  appearance  save  that  of  general  aban- 
donment to  the  influence  of  misfortune.  His  dress  and 
expression  impressed  me  with  the  idea  that  he  had  ex- 
perienced much  trouble,  without  possessing  that  strong 
power  of  recuperation  so  common  among  American  ad- 
venturers in  California. 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


171 


It  would  scarcely  be  worth  while  noticing  these  casu- 
al acquaintances  of  a  night,  since  they  have  nothing  to 
do  with  my  narrative,  but  for  the  remarkable  illustration 
they  afford  of  the  hardships  that  were  encountered  at 
that  time  on  the  emigrant  routes  to  California.  In  the 
course  of  conversation  with  the  man,  I  found  that  he  and 
his  wife  were  among  the  few  survivors  of  a  party  whose 
terrible  sufferings  in  the  mountains  during  the  past  win- 
ter had  been  the  theme  of  much  comment  in  the  news- 
papers. He  did  not  state — what  I  already  knew  from 
the  published  narrative  of  their  adventures  —  that  the 
woman  had  subsisted  for  some  time  on  the  dead  body  of 
a  child  belonging  to  one  of  the  party.  It  was  said  that 
the  man  had  held  out  to  the  last,  and  refused  to  partici- 
pate in  this  horrible  feast  of  human  flesh. 

So  strangely  impressive  was  it  to  be  brought  in  direct 
contact  with  a  fellow-being,  especially  of  the  gentler  sex, 
who  had  absolutely  eaten  of  human  flesh,  that  I  could 
not  but  look  upon  this  woman  with  a  shudder.  Her  suf- 
ferings had  been  intense;  that  was  evident  from  her 
marked  and  weather-beaten  features.  Doubtless  she  had 
struggled  against  the  cravings  of  hunger  as  long  as  rea- 
son lasted.  But  still  the  one  terrible  act,  whether  the  re- 
sult of  necessity  or  insanity,  invested  her  with  a  repellant 
atmosphere  of  horror.  Her  very  smile  struck  me  as  the 
gloating  expression  of  a  cannibal  over  human  blood.  In 
vain  I  struggled  against  this  unchristian  feeling.  Was 
it  right  to  judge  a  poor  creature  whose  great  misfortune 
was  perhaps  no  offense  against  the  laws  of  nature  ?  She 
might  be  the  tenderest  and  best  of  women — I  knew  noth- 
ing of  her  history.  It  was  a  pitiable  case.  But,  after 
all,  she  had  eaten  of  human  flesh ;  there  was  no  getting 
over  that. 

When  I  sat  down  to  supper  this  woman  was  obliging 
enough  to  hand  me  a  plate  of  meat.  I  was  hungry,  and 
tried  to  eat  it.  Every  morsel  seemed  to  stick  in  my 
throat.  I  could  not  feel  quite  sure  that  it  was  what  it 
seemed  to  be.   The  odor  even  disgusted  me.    Nor  could 


172 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


I  partake  of  the  bread  she  passed  to  me  with  any  more 
relish.  It  was  probably  made  by  her  hands — the  same 
hands  that  had  torn  the  flesh  from  a  corpse  and  passed 
the  reeking  shreds  to  her  mouth.  The  taint  of  an  imag- 
inary corruption  was  upon  it. 

The  room  allotted  to  me  for  the  night  was  roughly 
furnished,  as  might  reasonably  be  expected ;  but,  apart 
from  this,  the  bedding  was  filthy  ;  and,  in  common  with 
every  thing  about  the  house,  the  slatternly  appearance 
of  the  furniture  did  not  tend  to  remove  the  unpleasant 
impression  I  had  formed  of  my  hostess.  Whether  ow- 
ing to  the  vermin,  or  an  unfounded  suspicion  that  she 
might  become  hungry  during  the  night,  I  slept  but  little. 
The  picture  of  the  terrible  ogress  that  I  had  seen  when 
a  child,  and  the  story  of  the  little  children  which  she  had 
devoured,  assumed  a  fearful  reality,  and  became  strangely 
mingled  in  my  dreams  with  this  woman's  face.  I  was 
glad  when  daylight  afforded  me  an  excuse  to  get  up  and 
take  a  stroll  in  the  fresh  air. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  MIRAGE. 

After  an  early  breakfast,  I  mounted  my  mule  and  pur- 
sued my  journey  over  the  pass  of  the  San  Juan.  The 
view  from  the  summit  was  magnificent.  Beyond  a  range 
of  sand-hills  toward  the  right  stretched  the  great  Pacific. 
Ridges  of  mountains,  singularly  varied  in  outline,  swept 
down  in  front  into  the  broad  valley  of  the  Salinas.  The 
pine  forests  of  Monterey  and  Santa  Cruz  were  dimly  per- 
ceptible in  the  distance ;  and  to  the  left  was  a  wilder- 
ness of  rugged  cliffs,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  weird 
and  desolate  as  a  Cape  Horn  sea  suddenly  petrified  in 
the  midst  of  a  storm.  Descending  through  a  series  of 
beautiful  little  valleys  clothed  in  a  golden  drapery  of 
wild  oats,  and  charmingly  diversified  with  groves  of  oak 


PASS  OF  8AJM  JUAJtf. 


174 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


and  sycamore,  and  rich  shrubbery  of  ceonosa,  hazel,  and 
wild  grape,  I  at  length  entered  the  great  valley  of  the 
Salinas,  nine  miles  from  the  Mission  of  San  Juan.  At 
that  time  innumerable  herds  of  cattle  covered  the  rich 
pastures  of  this  magnificent  valley ;  and  although  there 
are  still  many  to  be  seen  there,  the  number  has  been 
greatly  reduced  during  the  last  ten  years.  A  large  por- 
tion of  the  country  bordering  on  the  Salinas  River,  as  far 
south  as  the  Mission  of  Soledad,  has  been  cut  up  into 
small  ranches  and  farms;  and  thriving  settlements  and 
extensive  fields  of  grain  are  now  to  be  seen  where  for- 
merly ranged  wild  bands  of  cattle,  mustang,  and  innu- 
merable herds  of  antelope. 

Turning  to  the  southward,  and  keeping  in  view  the 
two  great  ranges  of  mountains  which  were  the  chief 
landmarks  in  former  times,  the  scene  that  lay  outspread 
before  me  resembled  rather  some  wild  region  of  enchant- 
ment than  any  thing  that  could  be  supposed  to  exist  in 
a  material  world — so  light  and  hazy  were  the  distant 
mountains,  so  vaguely  mingled  the  earth  and  sky,  so  rich 
and  fanciful  the  atmospheric  tints,  and  so  visionary  the 
groves  that  decorated  the  plain.  Never  before  had  I 
witnessed  the  mirage  in  the  full  perfection  of  its  beauty. 
The  whole  scene  was  transformed  into  a  series  of  mag- 
nificent optical  illusions,  surpassing  the  wildest  dreams 
of  romance.  Points  of  woodland,  sweeping  from  the 
base  of  the  mountains  far  into  the  valley,  were  reflected 
in  mystic  lakes.  Herds  of  cattle  loomed  up  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  sleeping  waters  like  miniature  fleets  of  vessels 
with  variegated  sails.  Mounds  of  yellow  sand,  rising  a 
little  above  the  level  of  the  plain,  had  all  the  effect  of  rich 
Oriental  cities,  with  gorgeous  palaces  of  gold,  mosques, 
and  minarets,  and  wondrous  temples  glittering  with  jew- 
els and  precious  stones.  Bands  of  antelope  coursed  grace- 
fully over  the  foreground ;  but  so  light  and  vaguely  de- 
fined were  their  forms  that  they  seemed  rather  to  sail 
through  the  air  than  touch  the  earth.  By  the  illusory 
process  of  the  refraction,  they  appeared  to  sweep  into  the 


no 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


lakes  and  assume  the  forms  of  aerial  boats,  more  fanciful 
and  richly  colored  than  the  caiques  of  Constantinople. 
Birds,  too,  of  snowy  plumage,  skimmed  over  the  silvery 
waste ;  and  islands  that  lay  sleeping  in  the  glowing  light 
were  covered  wTith  myriads  of  water-fowl.  A  solitary 
vulture,  sitting  upon  the  carcass  of  some  dead  animal  a 


VULTURE  IN  THE  MIEAUE. 

few  hundred  yards  off,  loomed  into  the  form  of  a  fabu- 
lous monster  of  olden  times,  with  a  gory  head,  and  a  beak 
that  opened  as  if  to  swallow  all  within  his  reach.  These 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


177 


wonderful  features  in  the  scene  were  continually  chang- 
ing :  the  lakes  disappeared  with  their  islands  and  fleets, 
and  new  lakes,  with  still  stranger  and  more  fantastic  illu- 
sions, merged  into  existence  out  of  the  rarefied  atmos- 
phere. Thus  hour  after  hour  was  I  beguiled  on  my  way 
through  this  mystic  region  of  enchantment. 

Toward  evening  I  reached  the  Salinas  River,  where  I 
stopped  to  rest  and  water  my  mule.  A  Spanish  vaquero, 
whom  I  found  under  the  trees  enjoying  the  siesta  to  which 
that  race  are  addicted,  informed  me  that  it  was  "Dos 
leguos,  poco  mas  o  meno"  to  Soledad.  As  he  lived 
there,  he  would  show  me  the  way.  '  It  was  inhabited  by 
the  Sobranis  family,  and  they  owned  sixteen  square 
leagues  of  land  and  "  muchos  granada."  This  much  I 
contrived  to  understand  ;  but  when  I  handed  the  vaque- 
ro a  fine  Principe  cigar,  and  he  took  a  few  whiffs  and 
became  eloquent,  I  entirely  lost  the  train  of  his  observa- 
tions. It  is  possible  he  may  have  been  reciting  a  poem 
on  pastoral  life.  At  all  events,  we  jogged  along  very  so- 
ciably, and  in  something  over  an  hour  reached  the  mis- 
sion. 

A  more  desolate  place  than  Soledad  can  not  well  be 
imagined.  The  old  church  is  partially  in  ruins,  and  the 
adobe  huts  built  for  the  Indians  are  roofless,  and  the 
walls  tumbled  about  in  shapeless  piles.  Not  a  tree  or 
shrub  is  to  be  seen  any  where  in  the  vicinity.  The 
ground  is  bare,  like  an  open  road,  save  in  front  of  the 
main  building  (formerly  occupied  by  the  priests),  where 
the  carcasses  and  bones  of  cattle  are  scattered  about, 
presenting  a  disgusting  spectacle.  But  this  is  a  common 
sight  on  the  Spanish  ranches.  Too  lazy  to  carry  the 
meat  very  far,  the  rancheros  generally  do  their  butcher- 
ing in  front  of  the  door,  and  leave  the  Indians  and  buz- 
zards to  dispose  of  the  offal. 

A  young  Spaniard,  one  of  the  proprietors,  was  the 
only  person  at  home,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  dirty 
Indians  who  were  lying  about  the  door.  He  received 
me  rather  coldly,  as  I  thought,  and  took  no  concern 

H  2 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


whatever  about  my  mule.  I  learned  afterward  that  this 
family  had  been  greatly  imposed  upon  by  travelers  pass- 
ing northward  to  the  mines,  who  killed  their  cattle,  stole 
their  corn,  stopped  of  nights  and  went  away  without 
paying  any  thing.  At  first  they  freely  entertained  all 
who  came  along  in  the  genuine  style  of  Spanish  hospital- 
ity ;  but,  not  content  with  the  kind  treatment  bestowed 
upon  them,  their  rough  guests  seldom  left  the  premises 
without  carrying  away  whatever  they  could  lay  hands 
upon.  This  naturally  embittered  them  against  strangers, 
and  of  course  I  had  to  bear  my  share  of  the  ill  feeling 
manifested  toward  the  traveling  public.  It  was  not 
long,  however,  before  I  discovered  a  key  to  my  young 
host's  good  graces.  He  was  strumming  on  an  old  gui- 
tar when  I  arrived,  and  soon  resumed  his  solitary  amuse- 
ment, not  seeming  disposed  to  respond  to  my  feeble  at- 
tempts at  his  native  language,  but  rather  enjoying  the 
idea  of  drawing  himself  into  the  doleful  sphere  of  his 
own  music.  As  soon  as  a  favorable  opportunity  occur- 
red, I  took  the  guitar,  and  struck  up  such  a  lively  song 
of  "The  Frogs  that  tried  to  Come  it,  but  couldn't  get  a 
Chance,"  that  the  cadaverous  visage  of  my  host  gradual- 
ly relaxed  into  a  smile,  then  into  a  broad  grin,  and  at  the 
climax  he  absolutely  laughed.  It  was  all  right.  Music 
had  soothed  the  savage  breast.  Sobranis  was  conquered. 
He  immediately  directed  the  vaquero  to  see  to  my  ani- 
mal, and  set  to  work  and  got  me  an  excellent  supper  of 
tortillas  and  frijoles,  jerked  beef  and  oja;  after  which  he 
insisted  upon  learning  the  song  of  the  Frog,  which  of 
course  I  was  obliged  to  teach  him.  So  passed  the  hours 
till  late  bedtime.  Notwithstanding  the  fleas,  which 
abounded  in  overwhelming  numbers,  I  contrived  to  sleep 
soundly.  Next  morning,  after  a  good  breakfast  of  cof- 
fee, tortillas,  jerked  beef,  etc.,  as  before,  I  mounted  my 
mule  and  proceeded  on  my  journey,  much  to  the  regret 
of  Sobranis,  who  positively  refused  to  accept  a  cent  for 
the  accommodations  he  had  afforded  me. 


180 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A  DEATH-STRUGGLE.  % 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  sea-shore,  and  as  far  inland  as 
Soledad,  the  temperature  was  delightfully  cool  and  brac- 
ing ;  but  beyond  the  first  turning-point  of  mountains  to 
the  southward  a  marked  change  was  perceptible.  Al- 
though the  sun  was  not  more  than  two  hours  high,  the 
heat  was  intense.  The  rich  black  soil,  which  had  been 
thoroughly  saturated  with  the  winter  rains,  was  now 
baked  nearly  as  hard  as  stone,  and  was  cracked  open  in 
deep  fissures,  rendering  the  trail  in  some  places  quite  dif- 
ficult even  for  the  practiced  feet  of  the  mule.  Every 
thing  like  vegetation  was  parched  to  a  crisp  with  the 
scorching  rays  of  the  sun.  The  bed  of  the  river  was 
quite  dry,  and  no  sign  of  moisture  was  visible  for  many 
miles.  The  rich  fields  of  wild  oats  were  no  longer  to  be 
seen,  but  dried  and  cracking  wastes  of  wild  mustard, 
sage-weed,  and  bunch  grass.  In  some  places  deserts  of 
sand,  without  a  particle  of  vegetation,  and  incrusted  with 
saline  deposits,  stretched  along  the  base  of  the  mount- 
ains as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  The  glare  on  these 
plains  of  alkali  (as  they  were  commonly  called)  was  ab- 
solutely blinding.  Toward  noon,  so  intense  was  the 
heat,  I  thought  it  impossible  to  endure  it  another  hour. 
A  dry,  hot  cloud  of  dust  rose  from  the  parched  earth, 
and  hung  around  me  like  the  fiery  breath  of  an  oven. 
Neither  tree  nor  shrub  was  to  be  seen  any  where  along 
the  wayside.  As  I  toiled  wearily  along,  scarcely  able  to 
get  my  mule  out  of  a  walk,  I  thought  of  Denham  and 
Clapperton,  the  brothers  Lander,  Mungo  Park,  and  all 
the  great  African  explorers,  and  wondered  how  they 
could  have  endured  for  weeks  and  months  what  I  found 
it  so  hard  to  bear  for  a  few  hours.    There  was  no  re- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


181 


spite ;  nothing  in  the  world  to  alleviate  the  burning 
heat ;  not  even  a  stunted  shrub  to  creep  under.  And 
yet,  thought  I,  this  is  but  a  flash  in  the  pan  to  the  des- 
erts of  Africa.  Not  that  the  heat  is  more  intense  there ; 
for  I  believe  it  is  admitted  that  the  thermometer  rises 
higher  in  California  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  world. 
I  have  known  it  to  be  130°  Fahrenheit  in  the  mines,  and 
have  been  told  that  in  the  gulches  of  some  of  the  foot- 
hills of  the  Sierra  Nevada  it  has  been  known  to  reach 
150°.  The  official  table  published  by  Congress  shows 
that  the  maximum  heat  at  Fort  Miller  is  118°,  while  at 
Fort  Yuma,  on  the  Colorado,  it  does  not  exceed  110°. 
In  the  narrative  of  the  voyages  of  Lord  Anson,  written 
by  his  chaplain,  it  is  conceded  that  the  heat  is  greater  in 
California,  owing  to  local  causes,  than  at  any  known 
point  between  the  tropics.  But  very  different  is  it  in 
Africa,  or  any  tropical  country,  in  this  respect— that  the 
climate  of  California  is  never  oppressive,  whatever  may 
be  the  temperature.  The  nights  are  delightfully  cool, 
and  the  mornings  peculiarly  fresh  and  bracing.  Hence 
the  suffering  from  heat  is  never  protracted  beyond  a  few 
hours.  At  all  events,  not  to  go  into  any  farther  disser- 
tation upon  climate,  I  found  it  quite  warm  enough  on  the 
present  occasion,  and  would  have  been  very  glad  to  ac- 
cept the  loan  of  an  umbrella  had  any  body  been  at  hand 
to  offer  it  to  me. 

About  an  hour  before  sunset,  as  I  was  riding  slowly 
along,  enjoying  the  approaching  shades  of  evening,  I  dis- 
covered for  the  first  time  that  my  mule  was  lame.  I  had 
traveled  very  leisurely  on  account  of  the  heat,  making 
not  over  thirty  miles.  The  nearest  water,  as  the  young 
Spaniard,  Sobranis,  had  informed  me,  was  at  a  point  yet 
distant  about  five  miles.  I  saw  that  it  was  necessary  to 
hurry,  and  began  to  spur  my  mule  in  the  hope  of  being 
able  to  reach  this  camping  place ;  but  I  soon  perceived 
that  the  poor  animal  was  not  only  lame,  but  badly  found- 
ered— at  least  it  seemed  so  then,  though  my  convictions 
on  that  point  were  somewhat  shaken  by  what  subse- 


182 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


quently  occurred.  I  bad  succeeded,  after  considerable 
spurring,  in  getting  bim  into  a  lope,  wben  be  suddenly 
stumbled  and  tbrew  me  over  bis  bead.  The  sbock  of 
the  fall  stunned  me  for  a  few  moments,  but  fortunately  I 
was  not  hurt.  I  must  have  turned  a  complete  somer- 
sault. As  soon  as  consciousness  returned  I  found  that  I 
was  lying  on  my  back  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  the 
mule  quietly  grazing  within  ten  feet.  I  got  up  a  little 
bewildered,  shook  off  some  of  the  dust,  and  started  to 
regain  the  bridle ;  but,  to  my  great  surprise,  the  mule 
put  back  his  ears,  kicked  up  his  heels,  and  ran  off  at  a 
rate  of  speed  that  I  deemed  a  foundered  animal  entirely 
incapable  of  achieving.  There  was  not  the  slightest 
symptom  of  lameness  in  his  gait.  He  "  loped"  as  freely 
as  if  he  had  just  begun  his  journey.  In  vain  I  shouted 
and  ran  after  him.  Sometimes  he  seemed  absolutely  to 
enjoy  my  helpless  condition,  and  would  permit  me  to  ap- 
proach within  two  or  three  feet,  but  never  to  get  hold 
of  the  bridle.  Every  attempt  of  that  kind  he  resented 
by  whirling  suddenly  and  kicking  at  me  with  both  heels, 
so  that  once  or  twice  it  was  a  miracle  how  I  escaped. 
For  the  first  time  since  morning,  notwithstanding  the 
heat  of  the  day,  my  skin  became  moist.  A  profuse 
sweat  broke  out  all  over  me,  and  I  was  parched  with  a 
burning  thirst.  It  was  thirty  miles  from  Soledad,  the 
nearest  inhabited  place  that  I  knew  of,  and  even  if  I  felt 
disposed  to  turn  back  it  would  have  been  at  great  risk 
and  inconvenience.  My  blankets,  coat,  pistol,  and  pa- 
pers— the  whole  of  incalculable  importance  to  me — were 
firmly  strapped  behind  the  saddle,  and  there  was  no  way 
of  getting  at  them  without  securing  the  mule.  Upon  re- 
flection, it  seemed  best  to  follow  him  to  the  watering- 
place.  He  must  be  pretty  thirsty  after  his  hard  day's 
journey  in  the  sun,  and  would  not  be  likely  to  pass  that. 
I  therefore  walked  on  as  fast  as  possible,  keeping  the 
mule  as  near  in  the  trail  as  his  stubborn  nature  would 
permit.  It  was  not  without  difficulty,  however,  that  I 
could  discern  the  right  trail,  for  it  was  frequently  in- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


183 


tersected  by  others,  and  occasionally  became  lost  in 
patches  of  sand  and  sage-brush. 

In  this  way,  with  considerable  toil,  I  had  advanced 
about  two  miles,  when  I  discovered  that  a  large  band 
of  Spanish  cattle,  which  had  been  visible  for  some  time 
in  the  distance,  began  to  close  in  toward  the  line  of  my 
route,  evidently  with  the  intention  of  cutting  me  off. 
Their  gestures  were  quite  hostile  enough  to  inspire  a  sol- 
itary and  unarmed  footman  with  uneasiness.  A  fierce- 
looking  bull  led  the  way,  followed  by  a  lowing  regiment 
of  stags,  steers,  and  cows,  crowding  one  upon  the  other 
in  their  furious  charge.  As  they  advanced,  the  leader 
occasionally  stopped  to  tear  up  the  earth  and  shake  his 
horns ;  but  the  mass  kept  crowding  on,  their  tails  switch- 
ing high  in  the  air,  and  uttering  the  most  fearful  bellow- 
ing, while  they  tossed  their  horns  and  stared  wildly,  as 
if  in  mingled  rage  and  astonishment.  I  had  heard  too 
much  of  the  wild  cattle  of  California,  and  their  hostility 
toward  men  on  foot  at  this  season  of  the  year,  not  to  be- 
come at  once  sensible  of  my  dangerous  position. 

The  nearest  tree  was  half  a  mile  to  the  left,  on  the 
margin  of  a  dry  creek.  There  was  a  grove  of  small  oaks 
winding  for  some  distance  along  the  banks  of  the  creek ; 
but  between  the  spot  where  I  stood  and  this  place  of  se- 
curity scattering  bands  of  cattle  were  grazing.  How- 
ever, there  was  no  time  to  hesitate  upon  a  choice  of  diffi- 
culties. Two  or  three  hundred  wild  cattle  rushing  furi- 
ously toward  one  in  an  open  plain  assist  him  in  coming 
to  a  very  rapid  conclusion.  I  know  of  no  position  in 
which  human  strength  is  of  so  little  avail — the  tremen- 
dous aggregation  of  brute  force  opposed  to  one  feeble 
pair  of  arms  seems  so  utterly  irresistible.  I  confess  in- 
stinct lent  me  a  helping  hand  in  this  emergency.  Scarce- 
ly conscious  of  the  act,  I  ran  with  all  my  might  for  the 
nearest  tree.  The  thundering  of  heavy  hoofs  after  me, 
and  the  furious  bellowing  that  resounded  over  the  plain, 
spread  a  contagion  among  the  grazing  herds  on  the  way, 
and  with  one  accord  they  joined  in  the  chase.    It  is  in 


184 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


no  spirit  of  boastfulness  that  I  assert  the  fact,  but  I  cer- 
tainly made  that  half  mile  in  as  few  minutes  as  ever  the 
same  distance  was  made  by  mortal  man.  When  I  reach- 
ed the  tree  I  looked  back.  The  advance  body  of  the 
cattle  were  within  a  hundred  yards,  bearing  down  in  a 
whirlwind  of  dust.  I  lost  no  time  in  making  my  retreat 
secure.  As  the  enemy  rushed  in,  tearing  up  the  earth 
and  glaring  at  me  with  their  fierce,  wild  eyes,  I  had 
gained  the  fork  of  the  tree,  about  six  feet  from  the 
ground,  and  felt  very  thankful  that  I  was  beyond  their 
reach.  Still  there  was  something  fearful  in  being  block- 
aded in  such  a  place  for  the  night.  An  intolerable  thirst 
parched  my  throat.  The  effects  of  the  exertion  were 
scarcely  perceptible  at  first,  but  as  I  regained  my  breath 
it  seemed  impossible  to  exist  an  hour  longer  without  wa- 
ter. In  this  valley  the  climate  is  so  intensely  dry  during 
the  summer  heats  that  the  juices  of  the  system  are  quick- 
ly absorbed,  and  the  skin  becomes  like  a  sheet  of  parch- 
ment. My  head  felt  as  if  compressed  in  a  band  of  iron  ; 
my  tongue  was  dry  and  swollen.  I  would  have  given 
all  I  possessed,  or  ever  hoped  to  j>ossess,  for  a  single 
glass  of  water. 

While  in  this  position,  with  the  prospect  of  a  dreary 
night  before  me,  and  suffering  the  keenest  physical  an- 
guish, a  very  singular  circumstance  occurred  to  relieve 
me  of  farther  apprehension  respecting  the  cattle,  though 
it  suggested  a  new  danger  for  which  I  was  equally  un- 
prepared. A  fine  young  bull  had  descended  the  bed  of 
the  creek  in  search  of  a  water-hole.  While  pushing  his 
way  through  the  bushes  he  was  suddenly  attacked  by  a 
grizzly  bear.  The  struggle  was  terrific.  I  could  see  the 
tops  of  the  bushes  sway  violently  to  and  fro,  and  hear 
the  heavy  crash  of  drift-wood  as  the  two  powerful  ani- 
mals writhed  in  their  fierce  embrace.  A  cloud  of  dust 
rose  from  the  spot.  It  was  not  distant  over  a  hundred 
yards  from  the  tree  in  which  I  had  taken  refuge.  Scarce- 
ly two  minutes  elapsed  before  the  bull  broke  through 
the  bushes.    His  head  was  covered  with  blood,  and 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


185 


great  flakes  of  flesh  hung  from  his  fore  shoulders  ;  but, 
instead  of  manifesting  signs  of  defeat,  he  seemed  literally 
to  glow  with  defiant  rage.  Instinct  had  taught  him  to 
seek  an  open  space.  A  more  splendid  specimen  of  an 
animal  I  never  saw ;  lithe  and  wiry,  yet  wonderfully 
massive  about  the  shoulders,  combining  the  rarest  quali- 
ties of  strength  and  symmetry.  For  a  moment  he  stood 
glaring  at  the  bushes,  his  head  erect,  his  eyes  flashing, 
his  nostrils  distended,  and  his  whole  form  fixed  and  rig- 
id. But  scarcely  had  I  time  to  glance  at  him  when  a 
huge  bear,  the  largest  and  most  formidable  I  ever  saw  in 
a  wild  state,  broke  through  the  opening. 

A  trial  of  brute  force  that  baffles  description  now  en- 
sued. Badly  as  I  had  been  treated  by  the  cattle,  my 
sympathies  were  greatly  in  favor  of  the  bull,  which 
seemed  to  me  to  be  much  the  nobler  animal  of  the  two. 
He  did  not  wait  to  meet  the  charge,  but,  lowering  his 
head,  boldly  rushed  upon  his  savage  adversary.  The 
grizzly  was  active  and  wary.  He  no  sooner  got  within 
reach  of  the  bull's  horns  than  he  seized  them  in  his  pow- 
erful grasp,  keeping  the  head  to  the  ground  by  main 
strength  and  the  tremendous  weight  of  his  body,  while 
he  bit  at  the  nose  with  his  teeth,  and  raked  stripes  of 
flesh  from  the  shoulders  with  his  hind  paws.  The  two 
animals  must  have  been  of  very  nearly  equal  weight. 
On  the  one  side  there  was  the  advantage  of  superior 
agility  and  two  sets  of  weapons — the  teeth  and  claws  ; 
but  on  the  other,  greater  powers  of  endurance  and  more 
inflexible  courage.  The  position  thus  assumed  was  main- 
tained for  some  time — the  bull  struggling  desperately  to 
free  his  head,  while  the  blood  streamed  from  his  nostrils 
— the  bear  straining  every  muscle  to  drag  him  to  the 
ground.  No  advantage  seemed  to  be  gained  on  either 
side.  The  result  of  the  battle  evidently  depended  on 
the  merest  accident. 

As  if  by  mutual  consent,  each  gradually  ceased  strug- 
gling, to  regain  breath,  and  as  much  as  five  minutes  must 
have  elapsed  while  they  were  locked  in  this  motionless 


A  DUEL  A  LA  MOIiT. 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


187 


but  terrible  embrace.  Suddenly  the  bull,  by  one  desper- 
ate effort,  wrenched  his  head  from  the  grasp  of  his  ad- 
versary, and  retreated  a  few  steps.  The  bear  stood  up 
to  receive  him.  I  now  watched  with  breathless  interest, 
for  it  was  evident  that  each  animal  had  staked  his  life 
upon  the  issue  of  the  conflict.  The  cattle  from  the  sur- 
rounding plains  had  crowded  in,  and  stood  moaning  and 
bellowing  around  the  combatants ;  but,  as  if  withheld  by 
terror,  none  seemed  disposed  to  interfere.  Rendered  fu- 
rious by  his  wounds,  the  bull  now  gathered  up  all  his 
energies,  and  charged  with  such  impetuous  force  and 
ferocity  that  the  bear,  despite  the  most  terrific  blows 
with  his  paws,  rolled  over  in  the  dust,  vainly  struggling 
to  defend  himself.  The  lunges  and  thrusts  of  the  former 
were  perfectly  furious.  At  length,  by  a  sudden  and 
well-directed  motion  of  his  head,  he  got  one  of  his  horns 
under  the  bear's  belly,  and  gave  it  a  rip  that  brought 
out  a  clotted  mass  of  entrails.  It  was  apparent  that  the 
battle  must  soon  end.  Both  were  grievously  wounded, 
and  neither  could  last  much  longer.  The  ground  was 
torn  up  and  covered  with  blood  for  some  distance 
around,  and  the  panting  of  the  struggling  animals  be- 
came each  moment  heavier  and  quicker.  Maimed  and 
gory,  they  fought  with  the  desperate  certainty  of  death 
— the  bear  rolling  over  and  over,  vainly  striking  out  to 
avoid  the  fatal  horns  of  his  adversary — the  bull  ripping, 
thrusting,  and  tearing  with  irresistible  ferocity. 

At  length,  as  if  determined  to  end  the  conflict,  the 
bull  drew  back,  lowered  his  head,  and  made  one  tremen- 
dous charge  ;  but,  blinded  by  the  blood  that  trickled 
down  his  forehead,  he  missed  his  mark,  and  rolled  head- 
long on  the  ground.  In  an  instant  the  bear  whirled  and 
was  upon  him.  Thoroughly  invigorated  by  the  prospect 
of  a  speedy  victory,  he  tore  the  flesh  in  huge  masses  from 
the  ribs  of  his  prostrate  foe.  The  two  rolled  over  and 
over  in  the  terrible  death-struggle  ;  nothing  was  now  to 
be  seen  save  a  heaving,  gory  mass,  dimly  perceptible 
through  the  dust.    A  few  minutes  would  certainly  have 


188 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


terminated  the  bloody  strife,  so  far  as  my  favorite  was 
concerned,  when,  to  my  astonishment,  I  saw  the  bear  re- 
lax in  his  efforts,  roll  over  from  the  body  of  his  prostrate 
foe,  and  drag  himself  feebly  a  few  yards  from  the  spot. 
His  entrails  had  burst  entirely  through  the  wound  in  his 
belly,  and  now  lay  in  long  strings  over  the  ground.  The 
next  moment  the  bull  was  on  his  legs,  erect  and  fierce 
as  ever.  Shaking  the  blood  from  his  eyes,  he  looked 
around,  and  seeing  the  reeking  mass  before  him,  lowered 
his  head  for  the  final  and  most  desperate  charge.  In  the 
death-struggle  that  ensued  both  animals  seemed  anima- 
ted by  supernatural  strength.  The  grizzly  struck  out 
wildly,  but  with  such  destructive  energy  that  the  bull, 
upon  drawing  back  his  head,  presented  a  horrible  and 
ghastly  spectacle ;  his  tongue,  a  mangled  mass  of  shreds, 
hanging  from  his  mouth,  his  eyes  torn  completely  from 
their  sockets,  and  his  whole  face  stripped  to  the  bpne. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  bear  was  ripped  completely  open, 
and  writhing  in  his  last  agonies.  Here  it  was  that  in- 
domitable courage  prevailed ;  for,  blinded  and  maimed 
as  he  was,  the  bull,  after  a  momentary  pause  to  regain 
his  wind,  dashed  wildly  at  his  adversary  again,  determ- 
ined to  be  victorious  even  in  death.  A  terrific  roar  es- 
caped from  the  dying  grizzly.  With  a  last  frantic  effort 
he  sought  to  make  his  escape,  scrambling  over  and  over 
in  the  dust.  But  his  strength  was  gone.  A  few  more 
thrusts  from  the  savage  victor,  and  he  lay  stretched  upon 
the  sand,  his  muscles  quivering  convulsively,  his  huge 
body  a  resistless  mass.  A  clutching  motion  of  the  claws 
— a  groan — a  gurgle  of  the  throat,  and  he  was  dead. 

The  bull  now  raised  his  bloody  crest,  uttered  a  deep 
bellowing  sound,  shook  his  horns  triumphantly,  and  slow- 
ly walked  off,  not,  however,  without  turning  every  few 
steps  to  renew  the  struggle  if  necessary.  But  his  last 
battle  was  fought.  As  the  blood  streamed  from  his 
wounds  a  death-chill  came  over  him.  He  stood  for  some 
time,  unyielding  to  the  last,  bracing  himself  up,  his  legs 
apart,  his  head  gradually  drooping ;  then  dropped  on  his 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


189 


fore  knees  and  lay  down  ;  soon  his  head  rested  upon  the 
ground ;  his  body  became  motionless  ;  a  groan,  a  few 
convulsive  respirations,  and  he  too,  the  noble  victor,  was 
dead. 

During  this  strange  and  sanguinary  struggle,  the  cat- 
tle, as  I  stated  before,  had  gathered  in  around  the  com- 
batants. The  most  daring,  as  if  drawn  toward  the  spot 
by  the  smell  of  blood  or  some  irresistible  fascination, 
formed  a  circle  within  twenty  or  thirty  yards,  and  gazed 
at  the  murderous  work  that  was  going  on  with  startled 
and  terror-stricken  eyes  ;  but  none  dared  to  join  in  the 
defense  of  their  champion.  No  sooner  was  the  battle 
ended,  and  the  victor  and  the  vanquished  stretched  dead 
upon  the  ground,  than  a  panic  seized  upon  the  excited 
multitude,  and  by  one  accord  they  set  up  a  wild  bellow- 
ing, switched  their  tails  in  the  air,  and  started  off  at  full 
speed  for  the  plains. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  OUTLAWS'  CAMP. 

It  was  now  nearly  dark.  The  impressive  scene  I  had 
just  witnessed,  and  in  which  I  had  become  so  absorbed 
as  to  lose  all  consciousness  of  danger,  now  forcibly  re- 
minded me  that  this  was  not  a  safe  place  of  retreat  for 
the  night.  I  descended  from  the  tree,  seeing  all  clear, 
and  hurried  out  toward  the  edge  of  the  plain,  where  I 
discovered  a  trail  leading  down  parallel  with  the  creek. 
The  water-hole  I  knew  must  be  on  this  creek,  for  there 
was  no  other  in  sight.  It  could  not  be  more  than  two 
or  three  miles  distant,  and  there  was  yet  sufficient  light 
to  enable  me  to  keep  within  range  of  the  bushes  on  the 
left.  I  walked  on  rapidly  for  nearly  an  hour,  sometimes 
stumbling  into  the  deep  fissures  which  had  been  made  in 
the  ground  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  often  obliged  to 
descend  deep  arroyas  and  seek  for  some  time  before  I 


190 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


could  find  an  outlet  on  the  other  side  ;  but  in  the  course 
of  an  hour  I  was  rejoiced  to  see  a  point  of  woodland 
jutting  into  the  plain,  not  over  a  few  hundred  yards  dis- 
tant, in  the  midst  of  which  there  was  the  glimmer  of  a 
fire. 

I  say  rejoiced,  for  certainly  that  was  the  first  sensa- 
tion ;  but  in  approaching  the  light  I  could  not  but  think 
of  the  savage  character  of  the  country,  and  the  probabil- 
ity of  meeting  with  company  here  as  little  to  my  liking 
as  any  I  had  yet  encountered.  This  part  of  the  Salinas 
was  entirely  out  of  the  range  of  civilization ;  neither 
miners  nor  settlers  had  yet  intruded  upon  these  dreary 
solitudes ;  and  the  chances  were  greatly  in  favor  of  meet- 
ing a  party  of  Sonoranian  desperadoes  or  outlawed  Cali- 
fornians.  Yet  what  inducement  could  I  present  for  rob- 
bery or  murder  in  such  a  destitute  plight?  Without 
coat,  blankets,  pistol,  or  property  of  any  kind  except  a 
watch  concealed  in  the  fob  of  my  pantaloons — even  with- 
out money ;  for  what  little  I  owned,  not  over  forty  or 
fifty  dollars,  was  contained  in  a  leather  purse  in  the  pock- 
et of  my  coat — of  what  avail  would  it  be  to  molest  me  ? 
If  plunder  should  be  an  object,  they  must  already  be  in 
possession  of  all  I  had. 

These  considerations  somewhat  allayed  my  apprehen- 
sions ;  and,  at  all  events,  I  saw  no  alternative  but  to  keep 
on.  As  I  descended  from  the  plain  into  the  oak  grove 
bordering  upon  the  bed  of  the  creek,  I  observed  that 
there  were  only  two  men  in  camp.  From  their  costume 
— the  common  blue  shirts,  pantaloons,  and  rough  boots 
of  ordinary  travelers  on  the  way  to  the  mines — I  judged 
them  to  be  Americans.  Nor  was  I  mistaken.  The  very 
first  word  I  heard  spoken  was  an  oath,  which  it  is  un- 
necessary for  me  to  repeat. 

"  I  say,  Griff,"  said  one,  in  a  coarse,  brutal  voice,  "  if 
he  comes  don't  you  budge.    He'll  be  here  certain." 

"  Jack,"  replied  the  man  addressed,  "  you've  done 
enough  of  that.  You'd  better  hold  up  a  while,  that's 
my  opinion."  • 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


191 


The  other  laughed;  not  a  joyous  laugh  of  natural 
mirthfulness,  but  something  resembling  a  chuckling 
sneer  that  was  horribly  repelling.  An  instinctive  feeling 
prompted  me  to  retrace  my  steps  and  strike  out  for  the 
Mission  of  Soledad.  Without  well  knowing  why,  I  was 
impressed  with  an  irresistible  conviction  that  the  spirit 
of  sin  brooded  over  this  camp.  Acting  upon  the  im- 
pulse of  the  moment,  I  turned  to  retreat  while  yet  undis- 
covered, when  a  man  emerged  from  the  bushes  a  little 
below,  and  called  out  sharply,  "  Who's  that  ?  Answer 
quick,  or  you're  a  dead  man  !" 

I  answered  at  once,  "  An  American — a  friend.  Don't 
shoot !    It's  all  right  I" 

I  then  advanced  into  the  camp,  where  I  was  greeted 
with  an  uneasy  and  suspicious  stare,  very  much  unlike 
any  reception  I  had  ever  met  with  before  from  a  party 
of  countrymen.  There  was  either  distrust  or  disap- 
pointment in  their  looks,  probably  both.  The  party  con- 
sisted of  three  men,  two  of  whom  were  standing  by  the 
fire  cooking  a  piece  of  venison,  while  the  third,  who  had 
hailed  me  from  the  bushes,  seemed  to  have  been  on  the 
look-out. 

The  man  called  "Jack" — he  who  had  first  spoken — 
was  a  swarthy,  thick-set  fellow,  about  thirty  years  of 
age,  with  a  bull  neck,  a  coarse  black  beard,  and  heavy 
sun -burned  mustache.  His  eyes  were  overhung  by 
bushy  brows,  and  were  of  a  cold,  stony  color  and  very 
deeply  set,  giving  him  an  appearance  of  peeping  out  fur- 
tively from  a  chaparral  of  brush.  A  shock  of  black  mat- 
ted hair  covered  his  head ;  his  hands  were  begrimed 
with  dirt,  and  his  dress  was  ragged,  greasy,  and  stained 
with  blotches  of  filth  and  blood.  On  his  feet  he  wore  a 
pair  of  coarse  heavy  boots,  out  at  the  toes,  in  the  legs  of 
which  his  pantaloons  were  carelessly  thrust,  giving  him 
a  peculiarly  slovenly  and  blackguard  air.  A  belt  around 
his  waist,  with  a  revolver  and  knife,  and  a  leather  pouch 
for  balls  and  patching,  completed  his  costume  and  trap- 
pings.   I  instinctively  recoiled  from  this  man.  His 


193 


"jack." 


whole  expression — his  voice,  manner,  dress,  and  all — pro- 
nounced him  a  coarse  and  unmitigated  villain.  There 
was  not  a  single  redeeming  point  about  him  that  I  could 
discover.  Hard,  crafty,  and  cruel,  profane,  filthy,  and 
brutal,  his  character  was  patent  at  a  glance.  If  he  was 
not  intrinsically  bad,  nature  had  grievously  belied  him. 

The  other,  to  whom  this  fellow  had  addressed  his  re- 
marks when  I  first  heard  their  voices,  and  who  was  call- 
ed "  GrhT,"  was  apparently  somewhat  younger,  though 
rough  and  weather-beaten,  as  if  he  had  been  much  ex- 

I 


194 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


posed.  His  form  was  gaunt  and  athletic,  and  his  height 
over  six  feet.  There  was  something  very  sad  in  the  ex- 
pression of  his  face,  which  was  well  chiseled,  and  not 
destitute  of  a  certain  quality  of  rough,  manly  beauty.  A 
prominent  nose ;  firm  and  compressed  lips ;  a  square 
projecting  chin,  evincing  firmness,  and  a  liquid  blue  eye, 
with  a  mingled  expression  of  gentleness  and  determina- 
tion ;  deep  furrows,  tending  downward  from  the  corners 
of  his  mouth ;  long  waving  hair,  and  a  light  mustache, 
gave  him  something  of  a  heroic  cast  of  countenance, 
which,  but  for  an  appearance  of  general  recklessness, 
would  have  redeemed  him  under  all  the  disadvantages 
of  ragged  clothes  and  evil  associations.  Yet  I  felt  at 
once  interested  in  this  man.  He  seemed  embarrassed  as 
I  scanned  his  features,  apparently  struggling  with  some 
natural  impulse  of  politeness,  which  prompted  him  to  of- 
fer me  a  more  kindly  welcome  than  his  comrades  had 
bestowed  upon  me  ;  but,  if  such  an  impulse  moved  him, 
it  was  speedily  checked.  He  drew  his  hat  over  his  brow, 
and  resumed  his  occupation  at  the  fire  without  saying  a 
word.    Still,  even  his  silence  was  not  unfriendly. 

The  third  of  this  strange  party  was  a  lithe,  wiry  man, 
not  over  five  feet  eight  in  height,  but  compact  and  not 
ungracefully  formed.  He  was  apparently  much  older 
than  either  of  the  others.  To  look  upon  him  once  was 
to  receive  an  impression  of  evil  that  could  never  be  ef- 
faced. His  countenance  was  the  most  repellent  I  had 
ever  seen,  far  surpassing  that  of  the  man  "Jack"  in  cool, 
crafty  malignity.  I  could  readily  imagine  that  this  was 
the  leader  in  all  that  required  subtlety,  intellect,  and  skill. 
His  forehead  was  high  and  narrow ;  his  eyes  closely  set 
together,  black,  and  of  piercing  brilliancy ;  his  features 
sharp  and  mobile ;  but  it  was  his  mouth  that  more  than 
all  gave  him  the  distinguishing  expression  of  cruelty  and 
cunning.  A  sardonic  smile  continually  played  upon  his 
thin,  bloodless  lips.  Every  muscle  seemed  under  perfect 
control.  It  might  well  be  said  of  this  man  that 
"He  could  smile,  and  smile,  and  be  a  villain  still," 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


195 


for  villainy  lurked  in  every  feature.  Yet  he  was  not  de- 
ficient in  a  certain  air  of  personal  neatness  to  which  the 
other  two  had  no  pretensions.  His  jet-black  hair  was 
closely  cut,  and  his  face  quite  destitute  of  beard,  and  of 
that  peculiar  leaden  color  which  indicates  a  long  career 
of  dissipation.  In  his  dress  he  was  even  slightly  foppish ; 
wore  a  green  cassimere  hunting-jacket,  with  brass  but- 
tons ;  a  white  shirt,  a  breast-pin,  and  a  pair  of  check  pan- 
taloons. His  fingers  were  adorned  with  rings,  and  a 
watch-guard  hung  from  his  neck.  The  hilt  of  a  bowie- 
knife,  ornamented  with  silver,  protruded  from  under  the 
breast  of  his  vest,  and  a  revolver  hung  from  a  belt  around 
his  waist.  In  his  motions  he  was  quick,  supine,  and 
noiseless.  Something  of  the  basilisk  there  was  about 
this  man — something  brilliant  and  glossy,  as  if  he  shone 
with  a  peculiar  light.  I  fancied  I  had  seen  gamblers  like 
him  in  New  Orleans,  fierce  yet  wary  men,  accustomed  to 
play  at  hazardous  games ;  glossy  outside  and  of  fascina- 
ting suavity,  but  corrupt  to  the  core.  Even  his  green 
coat  added  to  the  illusion ;  it  fitted  him  so  neatly,  and 
seemed  so  like  the  natural  slimy  skin  of  a  poisonous  rep- 
tile. It  was  evident  this  was  no  ordinary  adventurer. 
His  manner  was  that  of  a  man  of  the  world ;  he  had  seen 
much,  and  he  knew  much,  mostly  of  evil  I  fancied,  for  all 
that  was  about  him  was  essentially  bad.  A  certain  def- 
erence toward  him  was  perceptible  in  the  manner  of  the 
other  two  men,  especially  in  that  of  the  thick-set  fellow 
called  Jack,  who  lost  much  of  his  bravado  air  when  "  the 
Colonel"  spoke,  for  such  was  the  title  accorded  to  the 
last-named  of  the  party.  The  Colonel  was  pleased  to 
scan  me  very  closely  for  some  moments  before  he  opened 
his  lips.  When  he  spoke  I  was  astonished  at  the  change 
in  his  voice,  which,  when  I  first  heard  it,  was  sharp  and 
hard.    It  was  now  wonderfully  soft  and  silky. 

"  Sir,"  said  he,  blandly,  "  you  seem  to  have  lost  your 
way.    Have  you  walked  far  ?" 

u  Not  very,"  was  my  answer.  "  Only  five  miles.  My 
mule  threw  me  and  ran  away.    I  was  unable  to  catch 


196 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


him,  and  thought  probably  he  had  made  his  way  to  this 
pool  of  water.  Have  you  seen  him? — a  large  brown 
mule,  with  a  roll  of  blankets  and  a  coat  fastened  to  the 
saddle?" 

The  Colonel  smiled  pleasantly. 

"  I  see,  friend,  you  are  not  accustomed  to  traveling  in 
this  rough  style.  Your  mule  has  doubtless  gone  back 
to  his  old  quarters,  wherever  you  got  him.  A  mule  nev- 
er goes  farther  in  a  new  direction  than  he  can  help." 

"But  I  saw  him  start  for  this  point.  He  was  very 
thirsty,  I  know ;  and,  besides,  he  came  from  the  Colorado 
not  over  a  month  ago.  His  course  would  naturally  be 
to  the  southward  if  he  desired  to  return  to  his  old  quar- 
ters." 

"Very  likely,"  said  the  Colonel,  quietly:  "it  may  be 
the  same  mule  I  sold  to  a  gentleman  from  Texas  down 
there  about  that  time." 

"Yes — I  bought  him  from  a  Texan.  It  must  be  the 
same,"  I  answered,  glad  to  find  some  clew,  however  re- 
mote, to  the  object  of  my  search. 

The  Colonel  smiled  again,  and  expressed  his  regret 
that  it  was  not  the  nature  of  that  mule  to  go  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  Colorado.  The  fare  for  mules  in  that  re- 
gion was  rather  dry ;  and  the  animal  in  question  had  a 
very  keen  appreciation  of  good  fare.  At  all  events,  no 
such  mule  had  been  seen  here — "unless,  perhaps,  you 
may  have  seen  him,"  added  the  Colonel,  turning  to  the 
thick-set  man,  and  regarding  him  with  a  peculiar  expres- 
sion— the  same  basilisk  eye  that  I  had  noticed  before. 

"  I  ?"  said  Jack,  laughing  coarsely  ;  "  the  last  mule  I 
saw  was  a  small  mustang  horse  that  belongs  to  myself." 

"Possibly  you  may  have  seen  him?"  suggested  the 
Colonel,  looking  at  the  tall,  gaunt  man,  Griff ;  and  here 
I  could  not  but  notice  the  change  in  his  expression. 
His  brow  unconsciously  lowered,  and  there  was  some- 
thing devilish  in  the  cool  malignity  of  his  eye.  Griff 
was  silent.  His  frame  seemed  convulsed  with  some 
emotion  of  disgust  or  hatred.    The  Colonel,  turning 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


197 


quickly  to  me,  observed,  with  an  affected  suavity,  "  This 
man  may  possibly  be  able  to  tell  you  something  about 
your  mule." 

At  this  the  person  referred  to  drew  himself  up  into  an 
erect  position,  and  gave  a  look  at  the  Colonel — a  look 
of  such  mingled  hatred,  defiance,  and  contempt,  that  I 
expected  to  see  the  latter  wilt  before  it  or  draw  his  re- 
volver. But  he  did  neither.  And  here  I  detected  the 
secret  of  his  power  over  the  other  two  men — imperturb- 
able self-possession.  He  merely  elevated  his  brows  su- 
perciliously as  Griff  sternly  remarked, 

"You  know  as  much  of  the  mule  as  I  do !  What  do 
you  ask  me  for  ?    Be  careful." 

"Oh,"  said  the  Colonel,  jocularly,  "I  thought  you 
might  have  seen  him  while  I  was  absent.  You  know 
I'm  not  in  the  habit  of  noticing  these  things." 

Griff  resumed  his  slouching  attitude,  stirring  the  fire 
moodily,  while  the  Colonel  requested  me  to  be  seated, 
and  proceeded  to  do  the  honors  of  the  repast.  All  that 
I  have  attempted  to  describe  was  perfectly  quiet ;  not  a 
loud  word  was  spoken,  and  but  for  the  peculiar  expres- 
sion of  each  face,  involving  some  dark  complicity  of  ex- 
perience, it  might  have  passed  unnoticed.  There  was 
really  nothing  said  that  necessarily  bore  an  evil  import. 
Yet  what  was  it  that  filled  me  with  such  an  indefinable 
abhorrence  of  these  men — of  two  of  them,  at  least  ?  That 
they  were  unprincipled  adventurers,  I  knew ;  that  they 
were  depraved  enough  to  be  professed  gamblers,  high- 
way robbers,  or  horse  thieves,  was  reasonable  to  suppose 
from  their  appearance;  but  there  was  something  more 
than  that  about  them.  The  leader  was  no  common 
gambler  or  horse-thief.  He  was  too  keen,  too  polished, 
too  subtle  for  that.  He  might  be  a  forger,  a  slave  specu- 
lator, a  dealer  in  blood-hounds,  a  gambler  in  fancy  stocks ; 
yet  this  was  no  country  for  the  exercise  of  that  sort  of 
talent — at  least  that  portion  of  it  which  he  had  chosen 
as  a  place  of  temporary  abode.  He  might  be  on  his  way 
to  the  mines.    I  asked  no  questions.    It  was  enough  to 


198 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


feel  the  evil  influence  of  the  present — enough  to  know 
by  intuition  that  the  hands  of  this  man  were  stained  with 
some  deadly  sin. 

Hungry  as  I  was,  I  could  not  swallow  the  bread  he 
gave  me  without  a  choking  sensation  of  disgust.  The 
act  of  eating  with  him  implied  a  species  of  fellowship 
against  which  my  very  soul  rebelled. 

Of  the  swarthy  man,  Jack,  I  had  a  different  impres- 
sion. He  was  purely  brutal.  All  his  instincts  were 
coarse,  savage,  and  depraved.  Whatever  quickness  or 
cunning  he  possessed  was  that  of  an  animal.  He  was 
far  inferior  to  the  other  in  all  the  essential  attributes  of 
a  successful  villain.  I  looked  upon  him  as  upon  a  vi- 
cious brute. 

For  the  tall  fellow,  Griff,  I  must  confess  I  felt  a  strange 
sympathy.  That  he  was  not  naturally  depraved,  no  one 
who  looked  upon  his  fine  features,  and  frank,  manly 
bearing,  could  for  a  moment  doubt.  He  might  be  dissi- 
pated, reckless,  even  criminal,  but  he  surely  was  not  all 
bad.  There  was  something  of  conscience  left  in  him  yet 
—  some  human  emotion  of  remorse.  Otherwise,  why 
was  his  expression  so  strangely  sad  ?  Why  was  it  that 
there  seemed  to  be  no  bond  of  sympathy  between  him 
and  the  others  —  beyond,  perhaps,  some  complicity  in 
crime,  either  accidental  or  the  result  of  evil  associations  ? 
A  deadly  fascination  seemed  to  be  spread  over  him  by 
the  leader,  against  which  he  struggled  in  vain.  The 
slight  outburst  of  passion  which  I  had  witnessed  showed 
too  plainly  the  powerful  thraldom  in  which  he  was  held. 
His  defiant  tone — the  withering  hatred  of  his  eye' — the 
impatient  gesture  of  contempt,  were  but  the  moment- 
ary ebullitions  of  a  proud  spirit.  No  sentiment  of  per- 
sonal fear  could  have  found  a  place  in  that  manly  breast. 
The  cause  of  his  submission  lay  deeper  than  that.  Some- 
thing of  self-accusation  must  have  had  a  share  in  it,  thus 
to  paralyze  his  strength — something  more  inextricable 
than  any  web  that  mortal  man  could  cast  over  him  un- 
aided by  a  sense  of  his  own  iniquity.    I  could  not  con- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


199 


jecture  what  crime  he  had  committed.  Whatever  it 
was,  I  had  a  strong  yearning  to  befriend  him.  Surely 
there  was  still  hope  for  him ;  he  could  not  be  utterly 
lost  without  bearing  in  his  features  the  impress  of  un- 
mitigated evil. 

As  soon  as  supper  was  over,  the  Colonel  lighted  his 
pipe  and  seemed  disposed  to  be  sociable.  It  was  impos- 
sible for  me  to  get  over  the  abhorrence  I  had  for  this 
man.  Even  his  efforts  to  be  agreeable  had  something 
sinister  in  them  that  increased  my  dislike.  Still,  I  was 
in  the  power  of  these  men,  whether  they  chose  to  exer- 
cise it  for  good  or  for  evil,  and  it  behooved  me  to  sup- 
press any  disrelish  I  might  have  for  their  company. 

"  You  came  from  Soledad  to-day,  I  think  you  said  ?" 
observed  the  Colonel. 

"  Yes  ;  I  stopped  there  last  night." 

"  Did  you  meet  any  body  on  the  road  ?"  he  asked, 
carelessly. 

"  Only  two  Spaniards  from  Santa  Marguerita."  The 
Colonel  started. 

"  Any  news  from  below  ?" 

"None  that  I  could  understand.  I  don't  speak  the 
Spanish  language." 

"  You  heard  nothing  from  San  Miguel  ?" 
"No." 

"  Which  way  are  you  bound,  if  I  may  take  the  liberty 
of  asking  ?" 

"To  San  Luis.  I  have  business  there  connected  with 
the  revenue  service.  Unfortunately,  my  mule  has  disap- 
peared with  my  blankets,  coat,  pistol,  what  little  money 
I  had,  and  my  official  papers,  which  are  of  no  use  to  any 
body  but  myself.  I  fear  the  loss  will  subject  me  to  great 
inconvenience." 

"  You  are  aware,  I  suppose,"  said  the  Colonel,  with 
the  same  disagreeable  smile  I  had  before  noticed,  "  that 
the  road  is  considered  a  little  dangerous  for  solitary 
travelers.  Murders  have  been  committed  between  this 
and  San  Miguel." 


200 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


"Any  lately?"  I  asked,  assuming  more  composure 
than  I  felt. 

"  Why  as  for  that,"  replied  the  Colonel,  making  an  ef- 
fort to  be  humorous,  "  it  would  be  hard  for  me  to  keep 
the  run  of  all  I  hear  in  this  part  of  the  country.  Society 
is  rather  backward,  and  the  newspapers  do  not  keep  us 
advised  of  the  current  events  of  the  day." 

Here  there  was  a  pause.  I  felt  convinced  that  this 
man  was  capable  of  any  deed,  however  dark  and  damn- 
ing. Even  while  he  spoke  his  fingers  played  with  the 
butt  of  a  revolver  that  hung. from  his  belt.  Something 
caught  my  eye  as  his  hand  moved — a  small  silver  star 
near  the  lock  of  the  pistol.  This  was  not  an  ordinary 
mark.  I  at  once  knew  the  pistol  to  be  mine.  A  friend 
had  given  it  to  me.  The  star  was  a  fanciful  device  of 
his  own,  based  upon  the  idea  that  its  rays  would  guide 
the  bullet  to  its  destination.  The  Colonel  detected  my 
inquisitive  glance,  and  smiled  again  in  his  peculiar  way, 
but  said  nothing.  If  I  had  any  doubt  on  the  subject  be- 
fore, I  now  felt  quite  satisfied  that  he  was  not  only  a  vil- 
lain, but  one  who  would  not  hesitate  to  take  my  life  if  it 
would  serve  his  purpose.  Whether  his  thoughts  ran  in 
that  direction  at  present  I  could  not  determine.  He  pos- 
sessed a  wonderful  power  of  inspiring  dark  impressions 
without  uttering  a  word.  The  mere  suspicion  of  such  a 
design  was  at  least  unpleasant.  At  length  he  rose,  hav- 
ing finished  smoking  his  pipe,  and  with  an  air  of  indiffer- 
ence said, 

"  It  must  be  getting  late.    Have  you  the  time,  sir  ?" 

I  pulled  out  my  watch,  scarcely  conscious  of  the  act, 
and  remarked  that  it  wanted  a  few  minutes  of  nine. 

"  A  nice-looking  watch,  that !"  observed  the  Colonel. 
"  It  must  be  worth  a  hundred  dollars." 

"  Yes,  more  than  that,"  I  answered ;  for  I  saw  at  once 
that  any  manifestation  of  suspicion  would  be  the  last 
thing  to  answer  my  purpose.  "It  cost  $150  in  New 
York.  It  is  a  genuine  chronometer,  and  the  casing  is 
of  solid  gold." 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


201 


The  Colonel  exchanged  glances  with  the  swarthy  man, 
Jack,  and  proposed  to  go  out  and  take  a  look  at  the 
horses.  Before  they  had  proceeded  fifty  yards  they  stop- 
ped and  looked  back.  Griff  had  been  sitting  moodily 
before  the  fire  during  the  conversation  above  related,  and 
did  not  seem  disposed  to  move  at  the  summons  of  his 
leader,  who  now  called  sharply  to  him  to  come  on.  The 
same  expression  of  defiant  hatred  that  I  had  noticed  be- 
fore flashed  from  the  man's  eyes,  and  for  a  moment  he 
seemed  to  struggle  against  the  Colonel's  malign  influ- 
ence. "  Come  !"  said  the  latter,  sharply,  u  what  do  you 
lag  behind  for  ?    You  know  your  duty !" 

"  Yes,"  muttered  Griff,  between  his  set  teeth,  "  I  know 
it!  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  remind  me  of  it."  He 
then  rose  and  proceeded  to  join  his  comrades.  As  he 
passed  by  where  I  sat  he  hurriedly  whispered,  "  Stay 
where  you  are.  Don't  attempt  to  escape  yet.  Depend 
upon  me — Dll  stand  by  you  /" 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  ESCAPE. 

It  may  readily  be  conceived  that  my  sensations  were 
not  the  most  pleasant  during  the  absence  of  the  three 
men  in  whose  power  I  was  so  strangely  and  unexpected- 
ly placed.  That  two  of  them  were  quite  capable  of  mur- 
dering me,  if  they  had  not  already  made  up  their  minds 
to  do  so,  was  beyond  question.  I  looked  around,  and 
saw  to  my  dismay  that  they  scarcely  took  the  trouble  to 
conceal  the  robbery  they  had  already  perpetrated.  My 
blankets  lay  under  a  tree  not  over  fifteen  steps  from  the 
fire,  and  my  coat  and  saddle  were  carelessly  thrown 
among  the  common  camp  equipments  in  the  same  place. 
What  could  one  unarmed  man  do  against  three,  or  even 
two,  fully  armed  desperadoes  ?  My  first  impulse  was  to 
steal  away,  now  that  there  was  a  chance — perhaps  the 

I  2 


202 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY 


only  one  I  might  have — and  conceal  myself  in  the  bush- 
es till  morning,  then  endeavor  to  make  my  way  along 
the  bed  of  the  creek  to  Soledad.  Better  trust  to  the 
grizzly  bears  than  to  such  men  as  the  Colonel  and  Jack. 
But  it  was  more  than  probable  they  were  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  every  thicket  and  trail  in  the  country, 
and  would  not  be  long  in  overtaking  me  on  horseback. 
There  was  another  serious  consideration :  I  could  not 
well  afford  to  lose  my  mule,  money,  and  papers.  The 
latter  were  of  incalculable  value,  and  could  not  be  re- 
placed. I  had  no  idea  that  they  had  been  suffered  to  re- 
main in  my  coat  pocket.  So  adroit  a  speculator  as  the 
Colonel  must  have  ascertained  their  contents  and  placed 
them  beyond  danger  of  recovery.  Besides,  the  man 
Griff  had  warned  me  not  to  attempt  an  escape  yet. 
Was  he  to  be  trusted  ?  Surely  I  could  not  be  deceived 
in  him.  What  object  could  he  have  in  warning  me  un- 
less to  provide  for  my  safety  ? 

These  considerations  were  unanswerable.  I  determ- 
ined to  remain  and  abide  the  issue. 

It  is  said  that  danger  sharpens  men's  wits.  I  believe 
it;  for  while  there  was  ample  reason  to  suppose  these 
men  were  deliberating  upon  my  destruction,  a  scheme 
flashed  upon  my  mind  which  I  at  once  resolved  to  carry 
into  effect.  Up  to  this  period  I  had  given  them  a  plain 
statement  of  my  misfortune.  They  evidently  regarded 
me  as  a  very  simple-minded  and  inexperienced  traveler. 
Nothing  could  be  easier  than  to  improve  upon  that  idea. 

As  soon  as  they  returned  and  resumed  their  places 
around  the  fire,  I  made  some  casual  inquiries  of  the  Col- 
onel about  the  route  from  San  Miguel  to  San  Luis  Obis- 
po, professing  to  be  exceedingly  anxious  to  reach  the 
latter  place  within  five  or  six  days. 

The  Colonel  was  bland  and  obliging  as  usual,  giving 
me,  without  reserve,  full  particulars  in  regard  to  the 
route. 

"  But  what's  your  hurry  ?"  said  he,  smiling  in  his  ac- 
customed manner ;  "  why  not  stay  with  us  a  few  days 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


203 


and  make  yourself  comfortable  ?  The  weather  is  rather 
warm  for  so  long  a  pedestrian  tour  —  unless,  indeed, 
something  is  to  be  made  by  it."  This  he  said  with  a 
low  chuckle  and  a  significant  glance  at  the  fellow  with 
the  thick  neck. 

"  That  is  precisely  why  I  want  to  get  on,"  I  answered ; 
"  a  great  deal  is  to  be  made  by  it  if  I  get  there  in  time, 
and  a  great  deal  lost  if  I  don't.  A  vessel  laden  with  for- 
eign goods  has  gone  ashore  on  the  beach  below  the  Ein- 
barcadera.  I  have  advices  that  most  of  the  cargo  is 
saved.  The  duties,  according  to  a  copy  of  the  manifest 
forwarded  to  the  Custom-house  at  San  Francisco,  amount 
to  over  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  supercargo  writes 
that  he  can  sell  out  on  advantageous  terms  at  San  Luis, 
provided  he  can  pay  the  duties  there  to  some  authorized 
officer  of  the  government  within  the  period  named.  I 
am  on  my  way  down  to  receive  the  money.  If  I  can  get 
back  with  it  to  San  Francisco  within  ten  or  twelve  days, 
it  will  be  of  considerable  advantage  to  the  government 
as  well  as  to  myself.  Unfortunately,  there  is  no  water 
communication  at  present,  or  I  might  gain  time  by  taking 
a  vessel.  However,  I  apprehend  no  difficulty  in  being 
able  to  hire  a  mule  at  San  Miguel.  As  for  the  stories  of 
robbery  and  murder  on  the  road,  I  have  no  faith  in  them. 
At  all  events,  I  am  not  afraid  to  try  the  experiment." 

This  communication  made  an  evident  impression  upon 
the  minds  of  the  Colonel  and  Jack,  both  of  whom  listen- 
ed with  intense  interest.  The  man  Griff  looked  a  little 
puzzled,  but  a  casual  glance  reassured  him :  he  at  once 
caught  at  my  meaning.  I  could  see  that  the  Colonel 
was  embarrassed  as  to  what  course  to  pursue  in  refer- 
ence to  the  stolen  property.  He  held  down  his  head  for 
some  time,  pretending  to  be  occupied  in  clearing  the 
stem  of  his  pipe,  but  it  was  apparent  that  he  was  in  con- 
siderable perplexity.  Deep  and  guarded  as  he  was,  it 
was  not  difficult  to  conjecture  what  was  passing  in  his 
mind.  There  was  now  a  strong  inducement  for  permit- 
ting me  to  proceed  on  my  journey.    The  prospect  of  se- 


204 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


curing  ten  thousand  dollars  was  worthy  of  some  risk ; 
yet,  if  he  acknowledged  the  stealing  of  my  mule  and 
other  property,  it  was  not  likely  I  would  again  place 
myself  in  his  power.  On  the  other  hand,  I  had  seen  the 
pistol,  and  must  have  some  suspicion  of  the  true  state  of 
the  case. 

I  have  often  observed  that  men  deeply  versed  in  vil- 
lainy, while  they  possess  a  certain  sort  of  sagacity,  are 
deficient  in  the  perception  of  character  when  it  involves 
a  more  comprehensive  knowledge  of  human  nature  than 
usually  falls  within  the  limits  of  their  individual  experi- 
ence. They  are  quick  to  detect  every  species  of  vulgar 
trickery,  but  their  capacity  to  cope  with  straightforward 
truth  is  limited.  They  suspect  either  too  much  or  too 
little,  and  lose  confidence  in  their  own  penetration.  "With 
men  like  themselves  they  understand  how  to  deal — they 
know  by  intuition  the  governing  motives ;  but  simplicity 
and  frankness  are  weapons  to  which  they  are  not  accus- 
tomed. A  direct  statement  of  facts,  in  which  they  can 
see  no  motive  of  prudence,  sets  them  at  fault.  They  can 
analyze  well  through  a  dark  atmosphere,  but,  like  night- 
birds,  have  very  dim  perceptive  powers  in  daylight. 

While  the  Colonel  could  discover  no  interested  motive 
in  my  simple  statement  respecting  the  loss  of  a  vessel  on 
the  coast  (of  which  he  had  probably  heard  from  other 
sources),  and  could  see  no  reason  why  I  should  not  be 
simple  enough  to  come  back  with  a  large  sum  of  money, 
since  I  had  been  simple  enough  to  lose  a  valuable  mule 
and  exhibit  a  valuable  watch,  he  nevertheless  seemed  un- 
able to  extricate  himself  from  suspicion  in  reference  to 
the  pistol — the  only  article  of  my  property  which  he  had 
reason  to  suppose  I  had  seen.  He  could  easily  have  said 
that  he  had  found  it  on  the  trail ;  but  he  was  not  skilled 
in  degrees  of  innocence.  He  had  deferred  his  explana- 
tion too  long,  and,  judging  by  himself,  could  not  imagine 
that  any  other  person  would  credit  so  flimsy  a  statement. 
In  this  he  was  correct,  but  his  one-sided  sagacity  led 
him  into  puzzling  inconsistencies. 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


205 


To  lull  all  suspicion  on  this  point  was  indispensable  to 
the  success  of  my  plan.  The  apparent  confidence  which 
I  had  manifested  in  the  good  faith  of  the  party  tended 
greatly  to  prevent  the  leader  from  coming  to  a  satisfac- 
tory conclusion.  So  at  least  it  appeared  to  me,  as  I 
watched  the  uncertain  movements  of  his  hands  and  the 
changing  expression  of  his  countenance.  He  was  evi- 
dently aware  that  I  had  seen  the  star  on  the  handle  of 
the  pistol,  yet  my  conduct  indicated  no  suspicion.  It 
was  necessary  that  I  should  remove  whatever  doubt  on 
the  subject  might  be  lurking  in  his  mind.  With  this  in 
view,  I  took  occasion  to  renew  the  conversation  relative 
to  the  route,  stating  that  although  I  apprehended  little 
danger,  it  was  still  an  awkward  position  to  be  entirely 
without  arms  in  a  strange  country. 

"The  loss  of  my  pistol,"  said  I,  "is  a  serious  incon- 
venience. It  must  have  fallen  from  my  belt  when  the 
mule  threw  me,  and  become  covered  with  dust.  I  could 
go  back  and  find  the  place,  but  that  would  occupy  near- 
ly half  a  day,  and  I  can  not  afford  to  lose  the  time.  The 
only  particular  value  the  pistol  has  is  that  it  is  a  present 
from  a  friend  who  belonged  to  the  Order  of  the  Lone 
Star  of  Texas.  The  badge  of  the  Association  is  marked 
upon  the  handle,  as  usual  with  arms  belonging  to  the 
members." 

"Yes,"  said  the  Colonel,  after  a  pause,  "I  once  be- 
longed to  that  Order  myself,  and  have  a  pistol  similarly 
marked." 

"  Perhaps  you  would  be  willing  to  dispose  of  it  ?"  I 
observed.  "  Not  that  I  have  any  money,  but  I  would 
cheerfully  give  my  watch  for  a  good  pistol,  which  would 
be  at  least  three  times  its  value." 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  the  Colonel,  affecting  an  air  of  in- 
jured pride,  "you  certainly  can  not  be  aware  that  a 
member  of  the  Lone  Star  never  sells  or  barters  his  arms. 
Any  thing  else,  but  not  his  weapons  of  personal  defense. 
Fortunately,  however,  I  have  a  spare  revolver,  which  is 
entirely  at  your  service.   As  for  your  watch,  I  should  be 


206 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


sorry  to  deprive  you  of  so  useful  au  article,  and  one 
which  would  be  of  no  value  to  myself.  Time  is  of  little 
consequence  to  men  who  are  accustomed  to  spend  it  as 
they  please,  and  whose  chief  dependence  is  on  the  sun, 
moon,  and  stars." 

I  accepted  the  proffered  gift,  as  may  be  supposed,  with- 
out the  slightest  qualms  of  conscience  in  depriving  the 
donor  of  so  valuable  a  piece  of  property ;  and  haviug  ex- 
pressed my  thanks,  noticed  that,  while  pretending  to 
search  for  the  pistol  among  the  camp  equipments,  he 
took  care  to  cover  up  my  blanket  and  coat. 

The  Colonel  soon  returned  to  the  fire,  and  handed  me 
a  very  handsome  revolver,  a  belt,  powder-flask,  and  small 
leather  bag  containing  caps,  balls,  and  other  necessary 
appendages.  It  struck  me  as  a  little  strange  that,  hav- 
ing apparently  made  up  his  mind  to  let  me  depart,  he 
had  not  offered  to  lend  me  an  animal  to  ride  upon ;  but 
a  moment's  reflection  satisfied  me  that  there  was  good 
cause  for  this.  There  could  be  no  doubt,  from  the  char- 
acter of  the  party,  that  the  horses  were  stolen,  and  would 
be  recognized  on  the  road.  Besides,  he  knew  I  could 
easily  hire  a  horse  or  mule  at  San  Miguel. 

After  this  I  observed  that  the  Colonel  took  occasion 
to  speak  a  few  words  to  Jack,  the  import  of  which  I 
could  only  conjecture  had  some  reference  to  my  papers. 
Jack  answered  aloud,  "  Yes,  the  grass  is  bad  there.  I'll 
go  put  my  mustang  in  another  place."  He  then  walked 
away,  and  the  Colonel  busied  himself  in  preparing  our 
sleeping  quarters  for  the  night. 

It  was  nearly  eleven  o'clock.  In  about  fifteen  minutes 
Jack  returned,  and  we  all  lay  down  in  different  direc- 
tions, within  a  short  distance  of  the  fire.  A  saddle-blank- 
et, kindly  furnished  by  my  chief  entertainer,  enabled  me 
to  make  quite  a  comfortable  bed. 

The  night  was  mild  and  pleasant.  A  clear  sky,  span- 
gled with  stars,  was  visible  through  the  tops  of  the  trees, 
and  never  had  I  seen  it  look  so  beautifully  serene.  Could 
it  be  that  guilt  could  slumber  peacefully  under  that  heav- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


207 


enly  canopy?  Surely  the  evil  spirit  must  be  strong  in 
the  hearts  of  men  who,  unconscious  of  the  reproving  pu- 
rity of  such  a  night,  could  thus  forget  their  sins,  and  lie 
calmly  sleeping  upon  the  bosom  of  their  mother  earth. 
How  deadened  by  a  long  career  of  crime  must  conscience 
be  in  the  breast  of  him  who,  steeped  in  guilt,  could  thus, 
in  the  presence  of  his  Maker, 

"O'erlabored  with  his  being's  strife, 
Sink  to  that  sweet  forgetfulness  of  life !" 

Neither  the  Colonel  nor  the  man  Jack  moved  an  inch 
after  taking  their  places.  I  almost  envied  them  their 
capacity  to  sleep,  so  gentle  and  profound  was  their  obliv- 
ion to  the  world  and  all  its  cares.  To  me  this  refreshing 
luxury  was  denied.  My  fate  seemed  to  hang  upon  a 
thread.  I  could  not  feel  any  confidence  in  these  men. 
They  might  become  suspicious  at  any  moment,  and  mur- 
der me  as  I  lay  helpless  before  them.  For  over  two 
hours  I  watched  them ;  they  never  moved.  The  proba- 
ble fact  was,  they  had  made  up  their  minds  not  to  molest 
me,  in  view  of  the  large  sum  of  money  I  expected  to  col- 
lect at  San  Luis.  My  course  seemed  clear  enough.  But 
here  was  the  difficulty.  I  could  do  nothing  without  my 
papers.  Nor  was  I  content  to, lose  my  mule,  saddle,  and 
blankets,  which  I  knew  to  be  in  their  possession. 

The  tall  man,  Griff,  was  restless,  and  turned  repeatedly, 
moaning  in  his  sleep,  "  God  have  pity  on  me !  Oh  God, 
have  pity  on  me !" 

It  was  a  sad  sight  to  behold  him.    No  mortal  eye 
could  fathom  the  sufferings  that  thus  moved  him.  Truly, 
"  The  mind  that  broods  o'er  guilty  woes 
Is  like  a  scorpion  girt  by  fire." 

At  length — it  must  have  been  about  an  hour  before 
day — he  arose,  looked  cautiously  around,  and,  seeing  all 
quiet,  beckoned  to  me,  and  stealthily  left  the  camp.  On 
his  way  out  he  gathered  up  my  blanket,  saddle,  and  coat 
in  his  arms,  and  looked  back  to  see  if  I  had  taken  the 
hint.  I  lost  no  time  in  slipping  from  my  covering,  and 
following  his  receding  figure.    It  was  a  trying  moment. 


208 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


I  expected  to  see  the  other  two  men  rise,  and  held  my 
pistol  ready  for  defense.  In  a  few  minutes  we  were  be- 
yond immediate  danger  of  discovery. 

"  Now,"  said  Griff — "  now  is  your  time.  Here  is  your 
mule.  Mount  him  and  be  off!  They  will  undertake  to 
pursue  you  as  soon  as  they  discover  your  absence ;  but 
I  shall  loose  the  riatas,  and  it  will  take  them  some  time 
to  catch  the  horses.  You  will  find  your  papers  on  the 
trail  as  soon  as  you  strike  the  plain.  Get  to  San  Miguel, 
and  you  are  safe.  They  dare  not  go  there;  but  do?iH 
stop  on  the  way" 

While  he  was  talking  Griff  fixed  my  saddle  and  pack 
on  the  mule,  and  I  mounted  without  loss  of  time.  What 
could  I  do  to  reward  this  noble  fellow  ?  In  the  hurry 
of  the  moment  I  handed  him  my  watch. 

"  Friend,"  said  I,  "  you  have  done  me  an  inestimable 
service.  Take  this  trifle  as  a  keepsake,  and  with  it  my 
best  thanks.    You  and  I  may  never  meet  again." 

"  No,  it  is  not  likely  we  shall,"  said  Griff,  sadly.  "  Our 
ways  are  different.  Keep  your  watch  ;  I  can't  accept  it. 
All  I  ask  of  you  is  not  to  judge  me  harshly.    Good-by !" 

The  impulse  to  serve  this  unfortunate  man  was  irresist- 
ible. I  could  not  leave  him  thus.  It  was  no  idle  curios- 
ity that  prompted  me  to  probe  the  mystery  of  his  con- 
duct. 

"In  heaven's  name,  friend,  why  do  you  stay  with 
these  bad  men  ?  What  unholy  power  have  they  over 
you  ?  Leave  them,  I  implore  you — leave  them  at  once 
and  forever.  Come  with  me.  I  will  do  all  I  can  for 
you.  Surely  you  are  not  too  £ar  gone  in  crime  for  re- 
pentance.   The  vilest  sinner  may  be  saved !" 

The  poor  fellow's  frame  was  convulsed  with  agony. 
He  sobbed  like  a  child,  and  for  a  moment  seemed  unable 
to  speak.    Suddenly,  as  if  recollecting  himself,  he  said, 

"  No,  sir,  I  can  not  turn  traitor.  It  is  no  use — I  am 
gone  beyond  redemption.  Their  fate  must  be  mine. 
God  pity  me !  I  struggled  hard  against  the  evil  spirit, 
but  he  has  conquered.    I  am  gone,  sir — gone!  Yet, 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


209 


believe  me,  I  am  not  wholly  depraved — a  criminal  in  the 
eyes  of  the  law  ;  a  robber ;  an  outcast  from  society  and 
civilization ;  but  (here  he  lowered  his  voice  to  a  whisper) 
— but  not  a  murderer.  Oh  God,  pity  me !  My  mother 
— my  poor  old  mother !" 

This  was  all.  The  next  moment  he  turned  away,  and 
was  lost  in  the  gloom  of  the  trees. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A  LONELY  RIDE. 

As  I  struck  into  the  trail  and  out  into  the  broad  val- 
ley of  the  Salinas  a  sense  of  freedom  relieved  me  in  some 
degree  of  the  gloom  inspired  by  the  last  words  of  this 
strangely  unfortunate  man.  The  stars  were  shining 
brightly  overhead,  but  the  moon  had  gone  down  some 
time  previously.  It  was  just  light  enough  to  see  the 
way.  A  small  white  object  lying  in  the  trail  caused  the 
mule  to  start.  In  the  excitement  of  my  escape  I  had 
forgotten  about  the  papers.  Here  they  were,  all  safe. 
I  had  no  doubt  they  had  been  thus  disposed  of  by  the 
ruffian  Jack  during  the  previous  evening  wThen  he  took 
occasion  to  absent  himself  from  the  camp.  I  quickly 
dismounted  and  placed  the  package  securely  in  the  leg 
of  one  of  my  boots,  then  pushed  on  with  all  speed  to 
reach  a  turning-point  of  the  mountains  some  distance 
ahead,  in  order  to  be  out  of  sight  by  the  dawn  of  day, 
which  could  not  be  far  off.  In  about  an  hour  I  had 
gained  this  point,  and  at  the  same  time  the  first  faint 
streaks  of  the  coming  day  began  to  appear  in  the  eastern 
sky.  The  air  was  peculiarly  balmy — cool  enough  to  be 
pleasant,  and  deliciously  odorous  with  the  herbage  of  the 
mountains.  Already  the  deer  began  to  leave  their  cov- 
erts among  the  shrubbery  on  the  hill-sides,  and  numjer- 
ous  bands  of  them  stood  gazing  at  me  as  I  passed,  their 
antlers  erect,  their  beautiful  forms  motionless*  as  if  hewn 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


211 


from  the  solid  rock,  but  manifesting  more  curiosity  than 
fear.  Thousands  of  rabbits  frisked  about  in  the  open 
glades,  and  innumerable  flocks  of  quail  flitted  from  bush 
to  bush.  The  field-larks  and  doves  made  the  air  musical 
with  their  joyous  hymns  of  praise  to  the  rising  sun;  the 
busy  hum  of  bees  rose  among  the  wild  flowers  by  the 
wayside;  all  nature  seemed  to  awake  from  its  repose 
smiling  with  a  celestial  joy.  In  no  other  country  upon 
earth  have  I  seen  such  mornings  as  in  the  interior  of 
California — so  clear,  bright,  and  sparkling — so  rich  and 
glowing  in  atmospheric  tints — so  teeming  with  unbound- 
ed opulence  in  all  that  gives  vigor,  health,  and  beauty  to 
animated  nature,  and  inspiration  to  the  higher  faculties 
of  man.  There  is  a  redundancy  of  richness  in  the  earth, 
air,  and  light  unknown  even  in  that  land  of  fascination 
which  is  said  to  possess  "  the  fatal  gift  of  beauty." 

Contrasted  with  the  dark  spirit  of  crime  that  hung 
over  my  late  encampment,  such  a  morning  was  inexpress- 
ibly lovely.  Every  breath  of  air — every  sound  that  broke 
upon  the  listening  ear — every  thought  of  the  vast  wild 
plains  and  towering  mountains  that  swept  around  me  in 
the  immeasurable  distance,  inspired  vague  and  unutter- 
able sensations  of  pleasure  and  pain — pleasure  that  I  was 
free  and  capable  of  enjoying  such  exquisite  physical  and 
mental  luxuries ;  pain  that  here,  on  God's  own  footstool, 

"All  but  the  spirit  of  man  was  divine." 
As  the  sun  rose,  and  spread  over  mountain  and  valley  a 
drapery  of  glowing  light,  giving  promise  of  continued 
life  to  the  birds  of  the  air  and  the  beasts  of  the  field,  I 
could  not  but  think  with  sadness  how  man — made  after 
God's  own  image,  the  most  perfect  of  his  works,  gifted 
with  reason  and  intelligence — should  so  strangely  turn 
aside  from  the  teachings  of  his  Maker,  and  cast  away  the 
pure  enjoyments  so  bountifully  spread  before  him.  Was 
it  possible  that  a  single  created  being,  however  steeped 
in  crime,  could  be  insensible  to  the  soothing  and  human- 
izing influences  of  such  a  scene  ? 

The  unhappy  fate  of  the  poor  fellow  to  whom  I  was 


212 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


so  deeply  indebted  haunted  me.  He,  at  least,  must  have 
felt  the  better  promptings  of  his  inner  nature  amid  these 
beautiful  works  of  a  beneficent  Creator.  Surely  such 
a  man  could  never  be  utterly  lost.  There  were  noble 
traits  in  his  character  that  must,  some  time  or  other,  as- 
sert their  supremacy.  Honorable  even  in  his  degrada- 
tion, he  scorned  to  turn  traitor  to  men  whom  he  despised. 
His  was  not  a  nature  formed  for  cruel  and  crafty  deeds. 
Frank,  manly,  and  ingenuous  in  his  whole  bearing,  there 
was  evidence  of  innate  nobility  in  his  misguided  sense  of 
honor,  and  a  manifest  scorn  of  deception  in  his  wild  out- 
bursts of  passion.  What  could  have  driven  him  to  this 
career  of  crime  ?  What  satanic  power  was  that  by  which 
he  was  enthralled  ?  I  could  not  believe  that  he  was  vol- 
untarily bad.  That  single  outburst  of  emotion  as  he 
spoke  of  his  mother  would  have  redeemed  him  had  he 
been  the  worst  of  criminals.  A  career  of  dissipation 
must  have  brought  him  to  this.  He  was  evidently  com- 
promised, but  to  what  extent?  Some  painful  mystery 
hung  over  his  connection  with  these  bad  men — I  could 
not  fathom  it.  The  more  I  reflected  upon  all  I  had  seen 
and  heard,  the  more  profound  became  my  sympathy; 
nor  is  it  an  affectation  of  generosity  to  say  that  I  would 
have  sacrificed  much  to  have  saved  him.  Yet  this  man's 
case  was  not  an  uncommon  one  in  California.  There 
were  many  there,  even  at  that  early  period,  and  there  are 
still  many,  who,  with  the  noblest  attributes  that  adorn 
human  nature,  have  become  castaways. 

As  the  day  advanced  a  marked  change  became  per- 
ceptible in  the  character  of  the  country.  Passing  out 
from  the  valley  of  the  Salinas  to  the  right,  the  trail  en- 
tered a  series  of  smaller  valleys,  winding  from  one  to  an- 
other through  a  succession  of  narrow  canons  between 
low,  gravelly  hills,  destitute  of  shrubbery,  and  of  a  pecul- 
iarly whitish  and  barren  aspect.  The  scene  was  no  lon- 
ger enlivened  by  bands  of  deer  and  smaller  game,  such  as 
I  had  seen  in  the  morning ;  the  birds  had  also  disappear- 
ed ;  not  a  living  thing  was  in  sight  save  a  few  buzzards 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


213 


hovering  in  the  air  over  the  bleached  and  sterile  hills, 
and  occasionally  a  coyote  or  wild-cat  skulking  stealthily 
across  the  trail.  Toward  noon  the  earth  became  like  a 
fiery  furnace.  The  air  was  scorching.  In  the  narrow 
passages,  where  the  hills  converged  into  a  focus,  cutting 
off  every  current  of  air,  the  refraction  of  the  sun's  rays 
was  absolutely  terrific.  It  seemed  as  if  my  very  clothing 
must  crisp  into  tinder  and  drop  from  my  body.  The 
skin  peeled  from  my  face  and  hands ;  a  thick  woolen  hat 
was  insufficient  to  keep  the  fierce  and  seething  heat  from 
my  head,  and  I  sometimes  feared  I  would  be  smitten  to 
the  earth.  Not  knowing  the  water-holes,  or  rather  hav- 
ing no  time  to  look  for  them,  I  was  parched  with  an  in- 
tolerable thirst.  On  every  eminence  I  turned  to  look 
back,  but  nothing  was  in  sight  save  the  dreary  waste  of 
barren  hills  that  lay  behind. 

Toward  evening,  having  stopped  only  a  few  minutes 
at  a  pool  of  water,  my  mule  began  to  lag  again.  I  had 
no  spurs,  and  it  was  utterly  in  vain  that  I  urged  him  on 
by  kicks  and  blows.  His  greatest  speed  was  a  slow  trot, 
and  to  keep  that  up  for  a  few  hundred  yards  at  a  time 
required  my  utmost  efforts.  By  sundown  I  estimated 
that  the  distance  to  San  Miguel  must  be  twelve  or  fifteen 
miles.  It  was  a  very  unpleasant  position  to  be  in — pur- 
sued, as  I  had  every  reason  to  suppose,  by  men  who 
would  not  hesitate  to  take  my  life,  yet  unable  to  acceler- 
ate the  speed  of  my  animal.  All  I  could  do  was  to  con- 
tinue beating  him. 

The  country  became  still  more  lonesome  and  desolate 
as  I  advanced.  The  chances  of  being  overtaken  mo- 
mentarily increased.  My  anxiety  to  reach  San  Miguel 
caused  me  to  forget  all  the  sufferings  of  fatigue  and 
thirst,  and  strain  every  nerve  to  get  my  mule  over  the 
ground.  But  the  greater  the  effort  the  slower  he  trav- 
eled. It  was  true,  I  had  a  pistol,  and  could  make  some 
defense.  Yet  the  chances  were  greatly  against  me. 
Unskilled  in  this  sort  of  warfare,  an  indifferent  rider, 
unacquainted  with  the  trails  by  which  I  might  be  cut  off 


214  A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 

and  surprised,  it  seemed  indeed  a  very  hopeless  case, 
should  such  an  emergency  arise.  Besides,  it  would  be 
very  little  satisfaction  to  shoot  one,  or  even  two  men, 
against  whom  I  felt  no  enmity,  and  whose  lives  were 
worth  nothing  to  me,  and  still  less  to  get  killed  myself. 
The  truth  is,  I  had  a  particular  relish  for  life;  others 
were  interested  in  it  as  well  as  myself,  and  I  did  not  feel 
disposed  to  risk  it  unnecessarily. 

The  sun  went  down  at  last,  and  the  soft  shadows  of 
night  began  to  soften  the  asperities  of  the  scene.  I  rode 
on,  never  once  relaxing  my  efforts  to  get  a  little  more 
speed  out  of  my  mule.  The  moon  rose,  and  innumerable 
stars  twinkled  in  the  sky.  The  air  became  delightfully 
balmy.  Long  shadows  of  rocks  and  trees  swept  across 
the  trail.  Mystic  forms  seemed  to  flit  through  the  dim 
distance,  or  stand  like  ghostly  sentinels  along  the  way- 
side. Often  I  fancied  I  could  see  men  on  horseback  sta- 
tioned under  the  overhanging  rocks,  and  detect  the  glit- 
ter of  their  arms  in  the  moonlight.  Stumps  of  trees 
riven  by  the  storms  of  winter  loomed  up  among  the 
rocks  like  grim  spectres ;  the  very  bushes  assumed  fan- 
tastic forms,  and  waved  their  long  arms  in  gestures  of 
warning.  The  howling  of  innumerable  coyotes  and  the 
hooting  of  the  night-owls  had  a  singularly  weird  effect 
in  the  stillness  of  the  night. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  ATTACK. 

It  must  have  been  nearly  ten  o'clock  when  my  mule 
suddenly  stopped,  turned  around,  and  set  up  that  peculiar 
nickering  bray  by  which  these  animals  hail  the  approach 
of  strangers.  As  soon  as  he  ceased  his  unwelcome  noise 
I  listened,  and  distinctly  heard  the  clatter  of  hoofs  in  the 
road,  about  half  a  mile  in  the  rear.  That  my  pursuers 
were  rapidly  approaching  there  was  now  very  little 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


215 


doubt.  It  was  useless  to  attempt  to  reach  San  Miguel, 
which  must  be  still  four  or  five  miles  distant.  I  had  no 
time,  and  resolved  at  once  to  make  for  a  little  grove  some 
three  or  four  hundred  yards  to  the  right.  As  I  approach- 
ed the  nearest  trees  I  was  rejoiced  to  see  something  like 
a  fence.  A  little  farther  on  was  a  gray  object  with  a 
distinct  outline.  It  must  be  a  house.  There  was  no 
light ;  but  I  soon  discovered  that  I  was  within  fifty  yards 
of  a  small  adobe  building.  My  mule  now  pricked  up  his 
ears,  snuffed  the  air  wildly,  and  absolutely  refused  to 
move  a  step  nearer.  I  dismounted,  and  tried  to  drag  him 
toward  the  door.  His  terror  seemed  unconquerable. 
With  starting  eyes,  and  a  wild  blowing  sound  from  his 
nostrils,  he  broke  away  and  dashed  out  into  the  plain. 
I  speedily  lost  sight  of  him. 

This  time  I  had  taken  the  precaution  to  secure  my  pa- 
pers and  pistol  on  my  person.  The  mule  had  taken  the 
direction  of  San  Miguel ;  but,  even  should  I  be  unable  to 
recover  him,  the  loss  would  not  be  so  great  as  before. 
However,  it  was  no  time  to  calculate  losses.  The  clatter 
of  hoofs  grew  nearer  and  nearer,  and  soon  the  advancing 
forms  of  two  mounted  men  became  distinctly  visible  in 
the  moonlight.  There  was  no  alternative  but  to  seek 
security  in  the  old  adobe.  I  ran  for.  the  door  and  push- 
ed it  open.  The  house  was  evidently  untenanted.  No 
answer  was  made  to  my  summons  save  a  mocking  echo 
from  the  bare  walls.  My  pursuers  must  have  caught 
sight  of  me  as  they  approached.  I  could  hear  their  im- 
precations as  they  tried  to  force  their  animals  up  to  the 
door.  One  of  the  party — the  Colonel,  whose  voice  I  had 
no  difficulty  in  recognizing,  said, 

"  Blast  the  fellow  !  what  did  he  come  here  for  ?" 

The  other  answered  with  an  oath  and  a  brutal  laugh, 

"We've  got  him  holed,  any  how.  It  won't  take  long 
to  root  him  out." 

They  then  dismounted  and  proceeded  to  tie  their 
horses  to  the  nearest  tree.  I  could  hear  them  talk  as 
they  receded,  but  could  not  make  out  what  they  said. 


216 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


While  this  was  going  on  I  had  closed  the  door,  and 
was  looking  for  some  bolt  or  fastening,  when  I  heard  the 
low,  fierce  growl  of  some  animal.  There  was  no  time  to 
conjecture  what  it  was ;  the  next  moment  a  furry  skin 
brushed  past,  and  the  animal  sprang  through  an  opening 
in  the  wall. 

A  wooden  bar  was  all  I  could  find ;  but  the  iron  fast- 
ening had  been  broken,  and  the  only  way  of  securing 
the  door  was  to  brace  the  bar  against  it  in  a  diagonal 
position.  The  floor  was  of  rough  hard  clay,  and  served 
in  some  sort  to  prevent  the  brace  from  slipping.  A  few 
moments  of  painful  anxiety  passed.  I  had  drawn  my 
revolver,  and  stood  close  against  the  inner  wall,  prepared 
to  fire  upon  the  first  man  that  entered.  Presently  the 
two  men  returned,  approaching  stealthily  along  the  wall, 
so  as  to  avoid  coming  in  range  of  the  door.  The  sharp, 
hard  voice  of  the  Colonel  first  broke  the  silence. 

"  Come,"  said  he,  "  open  the  door !  You  can't  help 
yourself  now  !    It  is  all  up  with  you,  my  fine  fellow!" 

I  knew  the  villains  wanted  to  find  my  position,  and 
made  no  answer. 

"You  may  as  well  come  out  at  once,"  said  the  Colonel ; 
"you  have  no  chance.  There  is  nobody  here  to  stand 
by  you  as  there  was  last  night.  Your  friend  is  keeping 
camp  with  a  bullet  through  his  head  and  a  gash  in  his 
throat." 

Pressed  as  I  was,  this  news  shocked  me  beyond  meas- 
ure. The  unfortunate  man  who  had  befriended  me  had 
paid  the  penalty  of  his  life  for  his  kindness. 

"Out  with  you!"  roared  the  Colonel,  fiercely,  "or 
we'll  burst  the  door  down.    Come,  be  quick !" 

Another  pause.  I  heard  a  low  whispering,  and  stood 
with  breathless  anxiety  with  my  finger  upon  the  trigger 
of  my  pistol.  In  that  brief  period  it  was  wonderful  how 
many  thoughts  flashed  through  my  mind.  I  knew  noth- 
ing of  the  construction  of  the  house ;  had  no  time  even 
to  look  around  and  see  if  there  was  any  back  entrance. 
A  faint  light  through  one  small  window-hole  in  front, 


218 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


within  three  feet  of  the  door,  was  all  I  could  discern. 
Every  nerve  was  strained  to  its  utmost  tension.  My 
sense  of  hearing  was  painfully  acute.  The  low  whisper- 
ing of  the  two  ruffians,  the  faint  jingling  of  their  spurs, 
the  very  creaking  of  their  boots,  as  they  stealthily  moved, 
was  fearfully  audible.  With  an  almost  absolute  certain- 
ty of  death,  without  the  remotest  hope  of  relief,  it  was 
strange  how  my  thoughts  wandered  back  upon  the  past ; 
how  the  peaceful  fireside  of  home  was  pictured  to  my 
mind ;  how  vividly  I  saw  the  beloved  faces  of  kindred 
and  friends ;  how  all  that  were  dear  to  me  seemed  to 
sympathize  in  my  unhappy  fate.  Yet  it  was  impossible 
to  realize  that  my  time  had  come.  The  whole  thing — the 
camp,  the  dark,  murderous  faces,  the  chase,  the  blockade 
— resembled  rather  some  horrible  fantasy  than  the  dread 
truth.  Strange,  too,  that  I  should  have  noticed  some- 
thing even  grotesque  in  my  situation  ;  run  into  a  hole,  as 
the  ruffian  Jack  had  said,  like  a  coyote  or  a  badger. 
Five  minutes — it  seemed  a  long  time — must  have  passed 
in  this  way,  when  I  became  conscious  of  a  gradual  dark- 
ening in  the  room.  A  low,  heavy  breathing  attracted 
my  attention.  I  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  window, 
and  thought  I  could  detect  something  moving ;  but  the 
darkness  was  so  impenetrable  that  it  might  be  the  result 
of  imagination.  Should  I  fire  and  miss  my  mark,  the 
flash  would  reveal  my  position  and  be  certain  destruc- 
tion. The  dark  mass  again  moved.  I  could  distinctly 
hear  the  respiration.  It  must  be  one  of  the  men  trying 
to  get  in  through  the  small  window-hole.  I  raised  my 
pistol,  took  dead  aim  as  near  as  possible  upon  the  centre 
of  the  object,  and  fired.  The  fall  of  a  heavy  body  outside, 
a  groan,  an  imprecation,  was  all  I  could  hear,  when  a  tre- 
mendous effort  was  made  to  force  the  door,  and  two  shots 
were  fired  through  it  in  quick  succession.  The  wood 
was  massive,  but  much  decayed ;  and  I  saw  that  it  was 
rapidly  giving  way  before  the  furious  assaults  that  were 
made  upon  it  from  the  outside,  evidently  with  a  heavy 
piece  of  timber.    Another  lunge  or  two  of  this  powerful 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


219 


battering-ram  must  have  borne  it  from  its  hinges  or  shat- 
tered it  to  fragments. 

"Hold  on,  Jack!"  said  the  wounded  man  in  a  low 
voice ;  "  come  here,  quick !  The  infernal  fool  has  shot 
me  through  the  shoulder  !    I'm  bleeding  badly." 

The  ruffian  dropped  his  bar,  as  I  judged  by  the  sound, 
and  turned  to  drag  his  leader  out  of  range  of  the  door. 
Now  was  the  time  for  a  bold  move.  Hitherto  I  had 
acted  on  the  defensive;  but  every  thing  depended  on 
following  up  the  advantage.  Removing  the  brace  from 
the  door,  I  made  an  opening  sufficient  to  get  a  glimpse 
of  the  two  men.  The  stout  fellow,  Jack,  was  stooping 
down,  dragging  the  other  toward  the  corner  of  the 
house. .  I  fired  again.  The  ball  was  too  low ;  it  missed 
his  body,  but  must  have  shattered  his  wrist;  for,  with 
a  horrible  oath,  he  dropped  his  burden,  and  staggered 
back  a  few  paces  writhing  with  pain,  his  hand  covered 
with  blood.  Before  I  could  get  another  shot  he  darted 
behind  the  house.  At  the  same  time  the  Colonel  rose 
on  his  knee,  turned  quickly,  and  fired.  The  ball  whizzed 
by  my  head  and  struck  the  door.  While  I  was  trying 
to  get  a  shot  at  him  in  return,  he  jumped  to  his  feet  and 
staggered  out  of  range.  I  thought  it  best  now  to  rest 
satisfied  with  my  success  so  far,  and  again  retired  to  my 
position  behind  the  door. 

For  the  next  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  I  could  Jiear,  from 
time  to  time,  the  smothered  imprecations  of  the  wounded 
ruffians,  but  after  this  there  was  a  dead  silence.  I  heard 
nothing  more.  They  had  either  gone  or  were  lying  in 
wait  near  by,  supposing  I  would  come  out.  This  uncer- 
tainty caused  me  considerable  anxiety,  for  I  dared  not 
abandon  my  gloomy  retreat.  Two  or  three  hours  must 
have  passed  in  this  way,  during  which  I  was  constantly 
on  the  guard ;  but  not  the  slightest  indication  of  the 
presence  of  the  enemy  was  perceptible. 

Two  nights  had  nearly  passed,  during  which  I  had  not 
closed  my  eyes  in  sleep.  The  perpetual  strain  of  mind 
and  the  fatigue  of  travel  were  beginning  to  tell.    I  felt 


220 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


faint  and  drowsy.  During  the  whole  terrible  ordeal  of 
this  night  I  had  not  dared  to  sit  down.  But  now  my 
legs  refused  to  support  me  any  longer.  I  groped  my 
way  toward  a  corner  of  the  room  to  lie  down.  Some 
soft  mass  on  the  ground  caused  me  to  stumble.  I  threw 
out  my  hands  and  fell.  What  was  it  that  sent  such  a 
thrill  of  horror  through  every  fibre  ?  A  dead  body  lay 
in  my  embrace — cold,  mutilated,  and  clotted  with  blood  ! 

It  has  been  my  fortune,  during  a  long  career  of  travel 
in  foreign  lands,  to  see  death  in  many  forms.  I  do  not 
profess  to  be  exempt  from  the  weakness  common  to  most 
men — a  natural  dread  of  that  undiscovered  region  to- 
ward which  we  are  all  traveling.  But  I  never  had  any 
peculiar  repugnance  to  the  presence  of  dead  men.  What 
are  they,  after  all,  but  inanimate  clay  ?  The  living  are 
to  be  feared — not  the  dead,  who  sleep  the  sleep  that 
knows  no  waking.  Not  this — not  the  sudden  contact 
with  a  corpse;  not  simply  the  cold  and  blood-clotted 
face  over  which  I  passed  my  hand  was  it  that  caused  me 
to  recoil  with  such  a  thrill  of  horror.  It  was  the  solution 
of  a  dread  mystery.  There,  in  a  pool  of  clotted  gore,  lay 
the  corpse  of  a  murdered  man.  No  need  was  there  to 
conjecture  who  were  his  murderers. 

I  rose  up,  thoroughly  aroused  from  my  drowsiness. 
It  was  probable  others  had  shared  the  fate  of  this  man. 
If  so,  their  bodies  must  be  near  at  hand.  I  was  afraid 
to  open  the  door  to  let  in  the  light,  for,  bad  as  it  was  to 
be  shut  up  in  a  dark  room  with  the  victim  or  victims  of 
a  cruel  murder,  it  was  worse  to  incur  the  risk  of  a  simi- 
lar fate  by  exposing  myself.  After  somewhat  recovering 
my  composure  I  groped  about,  and  soon  discovered  that 
three  other  bodies  were  lying  in  the  room :  one  on  a  bed 
— a  woman  with  her  throat  cut  from  ear  to  ear — and 
two  smaller  bodies  on  the  floor  near  by — children  per- 
haps eight  or  ten  years  old,  but  so  mutilated  that  it  was 
difficult  to  tell  what  they  were.  Their  limbs  were  almost 
denuded  of  flesh,  and  their  faces  and  bodies  were  torn 
into  shapeless  masses.    This  must  have  been  the  finish- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


221 


ing  work  of  the  animal — a  coyote  no  doubt — that  had 
startled  me  with  a  growl,  and  broken  through  the  win- 
dow after  I  had  first  closed  the  door.  I  could  also  now 
account  for  the  strange  manner  in  which  the  mule  had 
snuffed  the  air,  and  his  unconquerable  terror  in  approach- 
ing the  house. 

Only  a  few  articles  of  furniture  were  in  the  room — a 
bed,  two  or  three  broken  stools,  a  frying-pan,  coffee-pot, 
and  a  few  other  cooking  utensils,  thrown  in  a  heap  near 
the  fireplace.  There  was  no  other  room  ;  nor  was  there 
any  back  entrance,  as  I  had  at  first  apprehended. 

It  was  a  gloomy  place  enough  to  spend  a  night  in, 
but  there  was  no  help  for  it.  I  certainly  had  less  fear  of 
the  dead  than  of  the  living.  It  could  not  be  over  two  or 
three  hours  till  morning ;  and  it  was  not  likely  the  two 
men,  who  were  seeking  my  life,  would  lurk  about  the 
premises  much  longer,  if  they  had  not  long  since  taken 
their  departure,  which  seemed  the  most  probable. 

I  knelt  down  and  commended  my  soul  to  God;  then 
stretched  myself  across  the  brace  against  the  door,  and, 
despite  the  presence  of  death,  fell  fast  asleep.  It  was 
broad  daylight  when  I  awoke.  The  sun's  earliest  rays 
were  pouring  into  the  room  through  the  little  window 
and  the  cracks  of  the  door.  A  ghastly  spectacle  was 
revealed — a  ghastly  array  of  room-mates  lying  stiff  and 
stark  before  me. 

From  the  general  appearance  of  the  dead  bodies  I 
judged  them  to  be  an  emigrant  family  from  some  of  the 
Western  States.  They  had  probably  taken  up  a  tempo- 
rary residence  in  the  old  adobe  hut  after  crossing  the 
plains  by  the  southern  route,  and  must  have  had  money 
or  property  of  some  kind  to  have  inspired  the  cupidity 
of  their  murderers.  The  man  was  apparently  fifty  years 
of  age  ;  his  skull  was  split  completely  open,  and  his  brains 
scattered  out  upon  the  earthen  floor.  The  woman  was 
doubtless  his  wife.  Her  clothes  were  torn  partly  from 
her  body,  and  her  head  was  cut  nearly  off  from  her 
shoulders;  besides  which,  her  skull  was  fractured  with 


222 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


some  dull  instrument,  and  several  ghastly  wounds  dis- 
figured her  person.  The  bedclothes  were  saturated  with 
blood,  now  clotted  by  the  parching  heat.  The  two  chil- 
dren had  evidently  been  cut  down  by  the  blows  of  an  ' 
axe.  Their  heads  were  literally  shattered  to  fragments. 
What  the  murderers  had  failed  to  accomplish  in  mutila- 
ting the  bodies  had  been  completed  by  some  ravenous 
beast  of  prey — the  same,  no  doubt,  already  mentioned. 

I  saw  no  occasion  to  prolong  my  stay.  It  was  hardly 
probable  the  Colonel  and  Jack,  wounded  as  they  were, 
would  renew  their  attack.  They  must  have  made  their 
way  back  to  camp,  or  at  least  retired  to  some  part  of  the 
country  where  they  would  incur  less  risk  of  capture. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

SAN  MIGUEL. 

It  was  a  bright  and  beautiful  morning  as  I  left  the 
house  and  turned  toward  San  Miguel.  The  contrast  be- 
tween the  peaceful  scene  before  me  and  the  horrible  sight 
I  had  just  witnessed  was  exceedingly  impressive.  The 
mellow  light  of  the  early  sun  on  the  mountains;  the 
winding  streams  fringed  with  shrubbery ;  the  rich,  gold- 
en hue  of  the  valley  ;  the  cattle  grazing  quietly  in  the  low 
meadows  bordering  on  the  Salinas  River;  the  singing 
of  the  birds  in  the  oak  groves,  were  indescribably  re- 
freshing to  a  fevered  mind,  and  filled  my  heart  with 
thankfulness  that  I  was  spared  to  enjoy  them  once  more. 
Yet  I  could  not  but  think  of  what  I  had  witnessed  in  the 
adobe  hut — a  whole  family  cut  down  by  the  ruthless 
hands  of  murderers  who  might  still  be  lurking  behind 
the  bushes  on  the  wayside.  Their  dreadful  crime  haunt- 
ed the  scene,  and  its  exquisite  repose  seemed  almost  a 
cruel  mockery.  De  Quincey  somewhere  remarks  that 
he  never  experienced  such  profound  sensations  of  sad- 
ness as  on  a  bright  summer  day,  when  the  very  luxuri- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


223 


ance  and  maturity  of  outer  life,  and  the  fullness  of  sun- 
shine that  tilled  the  visible  world,  made  the  desolation 
and  the  darkness  within  the  more  oppressive.  I  could 
now  well  understand  the  feeling;  and  though  grief  had 
but  little  part  in  it,  beyond  a  natural  regret  for  the  un- 
happy fate  of  the  murdered  family,  still  it  was  sad  to  feel 
the  contrast  between  the  purity  and  beauty  of  God's 
creation  and  the  willful  wickedness  of  man. 

I  had  not  lost  the  strong  instinct  of  self-preservation, 
which,  so  far  at  least,  through  the  kind  aid  of  Providence, 
had  enabled  me  to  preserve  my  life ;  and  in  my  lonely 
walk  toward  San  Miguel  I  was  careful  to  keep  in  the  open 
valley,  and  avoid,  as  much  as  possible,  coining  within 
range  of  the  rocks  and  bushes.  In  about  an  hour  I  saw 
the  red  tile  roofs  and  motley  collection  of  ruinous  old 
buildings  that  comprised  the  former  missionary  station 
of  San  Miguel.  A  gang  of  lean  wolfish  dogs  ran  out  to 
meet  me  as  I  approached,  and  it  was  not  without  diffi- 
culty that  I  could  keep  them  off  without  resorting  to  my 
revolver,  which  was  an  alternative  that  might  produce  a 
bad  impression  where  I  most  hoped  to  meet  with  a 
friendly  reception.  As  I  approached  the  main  buildings 
I  was  struck  with  the  singularly  wild  and  desolate  aspect 
of  the  place.  Not  a  living  being  was  in  sight.  The  car- 
cass of  a  dead  ox  lay  in  front  of  the  door,  upon  which  a 
voracious  brood  of  buzzards  were  feeding ;  and  a  coyote 
sat  howling  on  an  eminence  a  little  beyond.  I  walked 
into  a  dark,  dirty  room,  and  called  out,  in  what  little 
Spanish  I  knew,  for  the  man  of  the  house.  "  Quien  es?" 
demanded  a  gruff  voice.  I  looked  in  a  corner,  and  saw 
a  filthy-looking  object,  wrapped  in  a  poncho,  sitting  lazi- 
ly on  a  bed.  By  his  uncouth  manner  and  forbidding  ap- 
pearance I  judged  him  to  be  the  vaquero  in  charge  of  the 
place,  in  which  I  was  not  mistaken.  With  considerable 
difficulty  I  made  him  comprehend  that  I  had  lost  my 
mule,  and  supposed  it  had  strayed  to  San  Miguel. 

"  Quien  sale  fn  said  the  fellow,  indifferently. 

Could  he  not  find  it?    I  would  be  willing  to  reward 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


225 


him.  I  would  give  him  the  blankets.  I  was  an  Oftcidl, 
and  was  on  my  way  to  San  Luis  Obispo.  To  each  of 
these  propositions  the  man  returned  a  stupid  and  yawn- 
ing answer,  "  Quien  sabe — who  knows  ?" 

Finding  nothing  to  be  gained  on  that  point,  I  asked 
him  for  something  to  eat,  for  I  was  well-nigh  famished 
with  hunger.  He  pointed  lazily  to  a  string  of  jerked 
beef  strung  across  the  rafters.  It  required  but  little 
time  to  select  a  few  dry  pieces,  and  while  I  was  eating 
them  the  fellow  asked  me  if  I  had  any  tobacco.  I  hand- 
ed him  a  plug,  which  speedily  produced  a  good  effect, 
for  he  got  up  and  passed  me  a  plate  of  cold  tortillas. 
When  I  had  somewhat  satisfied  the  cravings  of  hunger, 
I  asked  him,  in  my  broken  Spanish,  if  he  had  heard  of 
the  murder — five  persons  killed  in  an  old  adobe  house 
near  by.  "  Quien  sabe?"  said  he,  in  the  same  indifferent 
tone.  "  Muchos  malhos  hombres  aqid"  This  was  all 
he  knew,  or  professed  to  know,  of  the  murder. 

"  Amigo,"  said  I,  "  if  you'll  get  my  mule  and  bring  him 
here,  I'll  give  you  this  watch." 

He  took  the  watch  and  examined  it  carefully,  handed 
it  back,  and  remarked  as  before,  "  Quien  sabe?"  The 
glitter  of  the  gold,  however,  seemed  to  quicken  his  per- 
ceptive faculties  to  this  extent  that  he  got  up  from  the 
bed,  put  on  his  spurs,  took  a  riata  from  a  peg  on  the  wall, 
and  walked  out,  leaving  me  to  entertain  myself  as  I 
thought  proper  during  his  absence. 

Having  finished  a  substantial  repast  of  jerked  beef  and 
tortillas,  I  went  out  and  rambled  about  among  the  ruins 
for  nearly  an  hour.  A  few  lazy  and  thriftless  Indians, 
lying  in  the  sun  here  and  there,  were  ail  the  inhabitants 
of  the  place  I  could  see.  This  ranch  must  have  been  a 
very  desirable  residence  in  former  times.  The  climate 
is  charming,  except  that  it  was  a  little  warm  in  summer, 
and  the  cattle  ranges  are  richly  clothed  with  grass  and 
very  extensive. 

In  about  an  hour  my  friend  the  vaquero  came  back, 
mounted  on  a  broncho  or  wild  horse,  leading  after  him 
K  2 


A  Bl'AM  ISH  OAliALLKRO. 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


227 


my  mule,  with  the  pack  unchanged.  From  what  I  could 
understand,  he  had  found  the  mule  entangled  by  the  bri- 
dle in  the  bushes,  some  three  miles  on  the  trail  toward 
San  Luis.  According  to  promise,  I  handed  him  my 
watch.  He  took  it  and  examined  it  again,  then  handed 
it  back  without  saying  a  word. 

" Amigo"  said  I,  "the  watch  is  yours.  I  promised  it 
to  you  if  you  found  my  mule." 

To  this  he  merely  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"Won't  you  take  it?    I  have  no  money." 

"No,  seiior,"  said  he,  at  length,  with  a  somewhat 
haughty  air,  "I  am  a  Spanish  gentleman." 

"  Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon.  Will  you  do  me  thetavor, 
then,  to  accept  a  plug  of  tobacco  ?" 

I  opened  my  pack  and  handed  him  a  large  ping  of  the 
finest  pressed  Cavendish. 

"  Mil  grciGias!"  said  the  Spanish  gentleman,  smiling 
affably,  and  making  a  condescending  inclination  of  the 
head.  "  That  suits  me  better.  A  watch  is  bad  property 
here.    I  don't  want  to  be  killed  yet  a  while." 

Here  was  a  hint  of  his  reason  for  declining  the  proffer- 
ed reward.  But  he  did  it  very  grandly ;  and  I  was  quite 
willing  to  accord  to  him  the  title  of  Senor  Caballero  to 
which  he  aspired,  though  he  certainly  looked  as  unlike 
the  Caballeros  described  by  the  learned  Fray  Antonio 
Agapida,  who  went  out  to  make  war  upon  the  Moors  of 
Granada,  as  one  distinguished  individual  can  look  unlike 
another. 

There  was  ample  reason  why  I  should  regard  my  mule 
with  dissatisfaction.  All  my  misfortunes,  so  far,  had  aris- 
en from  his  defective  physical  and  mental  organization 
(if  I  may  use  the  term  in  reference  to  such  an  animal) ; 
but  the  fact  is,  it  has  been  my  fate,  as  far  back  as  I  can 
recollect,  to  have  the  worst  stock  in  the  country  foisted 
upon  me.  (  Never  yet,  up  to  this  hour,  have  I  succeeded 
in  purchasing  a  sound,  safe,  and  reliable  animal — except, 
indeed,  an  old  horse  that  I  once  owned  in  Oakland,  gen- 
erally known  in  the  neighborhood  as  Selim  the  Steady 


228 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


— a  name  derived  from  his  unconquerable  propensity  for 
remaining  in  the  stable,  or  getting  back  to  it  as  soon  as 
ever  he  left  the  premises. 

The  vaquero,  or,  as  he  aspired  to  be  called,  the  Cabal- 
lero,  offered  to  barter  his  broncho  for  my  mule,  and,  as 
an  inducement,  set  him  to  bucking  all  over  the  ground 
within  a  circle  of  fifty  yards,  merely  to  show  the  spirit 
of  the  animal,  of  which  I  was  so  well  satisfied  that  I  de- 
clined the  barter. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  DANGEROUS  ADVENTURE. 

Bidding  my  worthy  friend  a  kindly  "adios,"  I  mount- 
ed the  mule  and  pursued  my  journey  toward  San  Luis. 
The  country,  for  many  miles  after  leaving  San  Miguel, 
was  very  wild  and  picturesque.  Blue  mountains  loomed 
up  in  the  distance ;  and  the  trail  passed  through  a  series 
of  beautifully  undulating  valleys,  sometimes  extensive 
and  open,  but  often  narrowed  down  to  a  mere  gorge  be- 
tween the  irregular  spurs  of  the  mountains.  Game  was 
very  abundant,  especially  quail  and  rabbits.  I  saw  also 
several  fine  herds  of  deer,  and  occasionally  bands  of  large 
red  wolves.  It  was  a  very  lonesome  road  all  the  way  to 
the  valley  of  Santa  Marguerita,  not  a  house  or  human 
being  to  be  seen  for  twenty  miles  at  a  stretch.  Toward 
evening,  on  the  first  day  after  leaving  San  Miguel,  I  de- 
scended the  bed  of  a  creek  to  water  my  mule.  While 
looking  for  the  water-hole,  I  heard  some  voices,  and  sud- 
denly found  myself  close  by  a  camp  of  Sonoranians.  It 
was  too  late  to  retreat,  for  I  was  already  betrayed  by 
the  braying  of  my  mule.  Upon  riding  into  the  camp  I 
was  struck  with  the  savage  and  picturesque  group  be- 
fore me,  consisting  of  some  ten  or  a  dozen  Sonoranians. 
It  is  doing  them  no  more  than  justice  to  say  that  they 
were  the  most  villainous,  cut-throat,  ill-favored  looking 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


229 


gang  of  vagabonds  I  had  ever  laid  eyes  upon.  Some 
were  smoking  cigarritos  by  the  fire,  others  lying  all 
about  the  trees  playing  cards,  on  their  ragged  saddle- 
blankets,  with  little  piles  of  silver  before  them  ;  and 
those  that  were  not  thus  occupied  wTere  capering  around 
on  wild  horses,  breaking  them  apparently,  for  the  blood 
streamed  from  the  nostrils  and  flanks  of  the  unfortunate 
animals,  and  they  were  covered  with  a  reeking  sweat. 

Probably  it  may  be  thought  that  I  exceeded  the  truth 
when  I  asked  this  promising  party  if  they  had  seen  six 
"Americanos"  pass  that  way  with  a  pack-train  from  San 
Luis,  friends  of  mine  that  I  was  on  the  look-out  for. 
They  had  seen  no  such  pack-train ;  it  had  not  passed 
since  they  camped  there,  which  was  several  days  ago. 

"Then,"  said  I,  "it  must  be  close  at  haad,  and  I  must 
hurry  on  to  meet  it.  The  mules  are  laden  with  mucha 
plata" 

Having  watered  my  mule,  I  rode  on  about  five  miles 
farther,  where  I  reached  a  small  ranch-house  occupied 
by  a  native  Californian  family.  They  gave  me  a  good 
supper  of  frijoles  and  jerked  beef,  and  I  slept  comforta- 
bly on  the  porch. 

Next  day  I  struck  into  the  Valley  of  Santa  Marguerita. 
I  shall  never  forget  my  first  impression  of  this  valley. 
Encircled  by  ranges  of  blue  mountains  were  broad,  rich 
pastures,  covered  with  innumerable  herds  of  cattle  ;  beau- 
tifully diversified  with  groves,  streams,  and  shrubbery ; 
castellated  cliffs  in  the  foreground  as  the  trail  wound 
downward ;  a  group  of  cattle  grazing  by  the  margin  of 
a  little  lake,  their  forms  mirrored  in  the  water ;  a  mirage 
in  the  distance ;  mountain  upon  mountain  beyond,  as  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach,  till  their  dim  outlines  were  lost 
in  the  golden  glow  of  the  atmosphere.  Surely  a  more 
lovely  spot  never  existed  upon  earth.  I  have  wandered 
over  many  a  bright  and  beautiful  land,  but  never,  even 
in  the  glorious  East,  in  Italy,  Spain,  Switzerland,  or  South 
America,  have  I  seen  a  country  so  richly  favored  by  na- 
ture as  California,  and  never  a  more  lovely  valley  than 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


231 


Santa  Marguerita  upon  the  whole  wide  world.  There 
is  nothing  comparable  to  the  mingled  wildness  and  re- 
pose of  such  a  scene ;  the  rich  and  glowing  sky,  the 
illimitable  distances,  the  teeming  luxuriance  of  vegeta- 
tion, its  utter  isolation  from  the  busy  world,  and  the 
dreamy  fascination  that  lurks  in  every  feature. 

I  had  passed  nearly  across  the  valley,  and  was  about 
to  enter  upon  an  undulating  and  beautifully  timbered 
range  of  country  extending  into  it  from  the  foot-hills, 
when  a  dust  arose  on  a  rise  of  ground  a  little  to  the  left 
and  about  half  a  mile  distant.  My  mule,  ever  on  the 
alert  for  some  new  danger,  pricked  up  his  ears  and  mani- 
fested symptoms  of  uncontrollable  fear.  The  object  rap- 
idly approached,  and  without  farther  warning  the  mule 
whirled  around  and  fled  at  the  top  of  his  speed.  Neither 
bridle  nor  switch  had  the  slightest  effect.  In  vain  I  strug- 
gled to  arrest  his  progress,  believing  this,  like  many  oth- 
er frights  he  had  experienced  on  the  road,  was  rather  the 
result  of  innate  cowardice  than  of  any  substantial  cause 
of  apprehension.  One  material  difference  was  percepti- 
ble. He  never  before  ran  so  fast.  Through  brush  and 
mire,  over  rocks,  into  deep  arroyas  and  out  again,  he 
dashed  in  his  frantic  career,  never  once  stopping  till  by 
some  mischance  one  of  his  fore  feet  sank  in  a  squirrel- 
hole,  wrhen  he  rolled  headlong  on  the  ground,  throwing 
me  with  considerable  violence  several  yards  in  advance. 
I  jumped  to  my  feet  at  once,  hoping  to  catch  him  before 
he  could  get  up,  but  he  was  on  his  feet  and  away  before 
I  had  time  to  make  the  attempt.  It  now  became  a  mat- 
ter of  personal  interest  to  know  what  he  was  running 
from.  Upon  looking  back,  I  was  astonished  to  see  not 
only  one  object,  but  four  others  in  the  rear,  bearing  rap- 
idly down  toward  me.  The  first  was  a  large  animal  of 
some  kind  —  I  could  not  determine  what  —  the  others 
mounted  horsemen  in  full  chase.  Whatever  the  object 
of  the  chase  was,  it  was  not  safe  to  be  a  spectator  in  the 
direct  line  of  their  route.  I  cast  a  hurried  look  around, 
and  discovered  a  break  in  the  earth  a  few  hundred  yards 


232 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


distant,  toward  which  I  ran  with  all  speed.  It  was  a 
sort  of  mound  rooted  up  by  the  squirrels  or  coyotes,  and 
afforded  some  trifling  shelter,  where  I  crouched  down 
close  to  the  ground.  Scarcely  had  I  partially  concealed 
myself  when  I  heard  a  loud  shouting  from  the  men  on 
horseback,  and,  peeping  over  the  bank,  saw  within  fifty 
or  sixty  paces  a  huge  grizzly  bear,  but  no  longer  retreat- 
ing. He  had  faced  round  toward  his  pursuers,  and  now 
seemed  determined  to  fight.  The  horsemen  were  evi- 
dently native  Californians,  and  managed  their  animals 
with  wonderful  skill  and  grace.  The  nearest  swept 
down  like  an  avalanche  toward  the  bear,  while  the  oth- 
ers coursed  off  a  short  distance  in  a  circling  direction  to 
prevent  his  escape.  Suddenly  swerving  a  little  to  one 
side,  the  leader  whirled  his  lasso  once  or  twice  around 
his  head,  and  let  fly  at  his  game  with  unerring  aim. 
The  loop  caught  one  of  the  fore  paws,  and  the  bear  was 
instantly  jerked  down  upon  his  haunches,  struggling  and 
roaring  with  all  his  might.  It  was  a  striking  instance  of 
the  power  of  the  rider  over  the  horse,  that,  wild  with 
terror  as  the  latter  was,  he  dared  not  disobey  the  slight- 
est pressure  of  the  rein,  but  went  through  all  the  evolu- 
tions, blowing  trumpet-blasts  from  his  nostrils  and  with 
eyes  starting  from  their  sockets.  Despite  the  strain 
kept  upon  the  lasso,  the  bear  soon  regained  his  feet,  and 
commenced  hauling  in  the  spare  line  with  his  fore  pawrs 
so  as  to  get  within  reach  of  the  horse.  He  had  advanced 
wdthin  ten  feet  before  the  nearest  of  the  other  horsemen 
could  bring  his  lasso  to  bear  upon  him.  The  first  throw 
was  at  his  hind  legs — the  main  object  being  to  stretch 
him  out — but  it  missed.  Another  more  fortunate  cast 
took  him  round  the  neck.  Both  riders  pulled  in  opposite 
directions,  and  the  bear  soon  rolled  on  the  ground  again, 
biting  furiously  at  the  lassos,  and  uttering  the  most  ter- 
rific roars.  The  strain  upon  his  neck  soon  choked  off  his 
breath,  and  he  was  forced  to  let  loose  his  grasp  upon  the 
other  lasso.  While  struggling  to  free  his  neck,  the  two 
other  horsemen  dashed  up,  swinging  their  lassos,  and 


234 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


shouting  with  all  their  might  so  as  to  attract  his  atten- 
tion. The  nearest,  watching  narrowly  every  motion  of 
the  frantic  animal,  soon  let  fly  his  lasso,  and  made  a  lucky 
hitch  around  one  of  his  hind  legs.  The  other,  following 
quickly  with  a  large  loop,  swung  it  entirely  over  the 
bear's  body,  and  all  four  riders  now  set  up  a  yell  of  tri- 
umph and  began  pulling  in  opposite  directions.  The 
writhing,  pitching,  and  straining  of  the  powerful  monster 
were  now  absolutely  fearful.  A  dust  arose  over  him, 
and  the  earth  flew  up  in  every  direction.  Sometimes  by 
a  desperate  effort  he  regained  his  feet,  and  actually 
dragged  one  or  more  of  the  horses  toward  him  by  main 
strength ;  but,  whenever  he  attempted  this,  the  others 
stretched  their  lassos,  and  either  choked  him  or  jerked 
him  down  upon  his  haunches.  It  was  apparent  that  his 
wind  was  giving  out,  partly  by  reason  of  the  long  chase, 
and  partly  owing  to  the  noose  around  his  throat.  A 
general  pull  threw  him  once  more  upon  his  back.  Be- 
fore he  could  regain  his  feet,  the  horsemen,  by  a  series 
of  dexterous  manoeuvres,  wound  him  completely  up,  so 
that  he  lay  perfectly  quiet  upon  the  ground,  breathing 
heavily,  and  utterly  unable  to  extricate  his  paws  from 
the  labyrinth  of  lassos  in  which  he  wTas  entangled.  One 
of  the  riders  now  gave  the  reins  of  his  horse  to  another 
and  dismounted.  Cautiously  approaching,  with  a  spare 
riata,  he  cast  a  noose  over  the  bear's  fore  paws,  and 
wound  the  remaining  part  tightly  round  the  neck,  so 
that  what  strength  might  still  have  been  left  was  speed- 
ily exhausted  by  suffocation.  This  done,  another  rider 
dismounted,  and  the  two  soon  succeeded  in  binding  their 
victim  so  firmly  by  the  paws  that  it  was  impossible  for 
him  to  break  loose.  They  next  bound  his  jaws  together 
by  means  of  another  riata,  winding  it  all  the  way  up 
around  his  head,  upon  which  they  loosened  the  fastening 
around  his  neck  so  as  to  give  him  air.  When  all  was 
secure,  they  freed  the  lassos  and  again  mounted  their 
horses.  I  thought  it  about  time  now  to  make  known 
my  presence  and  stood  up.    Some  of  the  party  had  evi- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


235 


dently  seen  me  during  the  progress  of  the  chase,  for 
they  manifested  no  surprise;  and  the  leader,  after  ex- 
changing a  few  words  with  one  of  the  men,  and  point- 
ing in  the  direction  taken  by  the  mule,  rode  up  and  said 
very  politely, 

"  Buenas  dias,  Senor  /"  He  then  informed  me,  as 
well  as  I  could  understand,  that  he  had  sent  a  man  to 
catch  my  mule,  and  it  would  be  back  presently.  While 
we  were  endeavoring  to  carry  on  some  conversation  in 
reference  to  the  capture  of  the  bear,  during  which  I 
made  out  to  gather  that  they  were  going  to  drag  him 
to  the  ranch  on  a  bullock's  hide,  and  have  a  grand  bull- 
fight with  him  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  the  vaquero 
returned  with  my  mule. 

I  had  a  pleasant  journey  of  thirty-five  miles  that  day. 
Nothing  farther  occurred  worthy  of  record.  When 
night  overtook  me  I  was  within  fifteen  miles  of  San  Luis. 
I  camped  under  a  tree,  and,  notwithstanding  some  appre- 
hension of  the  Sonoranians,  made  out  to  get  a  good 
sleep. 

Next  morning  I  was  up  and  on  my  way  by  daylight. 
The  country,  as  I  advanced,  increased  in  picturesque 
beauty,  aud  the  hope  of  soon  reaching  my  destination 
gave  me  additional  pleasure.  A  few  hours  more,  and  I 
was  safely  lodged  with  some  American  friends.  Thus 
ended  what  I  think  the  reader  must  admit  was  "  a  dan- 
gerous journey." 


CHAPTER  X. 

A  TRAGEDY. 

A  few  days  after  my  arrival  in  San  Luis  I  went,  in 
company  with  a  young  American  by  the  name  of  Jack- 
son, to  a  fandango  given  by  the  native  Californians.  The 
invitation,  as  usual  in  such  cases,  was  general,  and  the 
company  not  very  select.    Every  person  within  a  circle 


23G 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


of  twenty  miles,  and  with  money  enough  in  his  pockets 
to  pay  for  the  refreshments,  was  expected  to  be  present. 
The  entertainment  was  held  in  a  large  adobe  building, 
formerly  used  for  missionary  purposes,  the  lower  part  of 
which  was  occupied  as  a  store-house.  A  large  loft  over- 
head, with  a  step-ladder  reaching  to  it  from  the  outside, 
formed  what  the  proprietor  was  pleased  to  call  the  dan- 
cing-saloon. In  the  yard,  which  was  encircled  by  a  mud 
wall,  were  several  chapadens,  or  brush  tents,  in  which 
whisky,  gin,  aguardiente,  and  other  refreshments  of  a  like 
nature,  "for  ladies  and  gentlemen,"  were  for  sale  at  "two 
bits  a  drink."  A  low  rabble  of  Mexican  greasers,  chiefly 
Sonoranians,  hung  around  the  premises  in  every  direc- 
tion, among  whom  I  recognized  several  belonging  to  the 
gang  into  whose  encampment  I  had  fallen  on  my  way 
down  from  Santa  Marguerita.  Their  dirty  serapas,  ma- 
chillas,  and  spurs  lay  scattered  about,  just  as  they  had 
dismounted  from  their  mustangs.  The  animals  were 
picketed  around  in  the  open  spaces,  and  kept  up  a  con- 
tinual confusion  by  bucking  and  kicking  at  every  strag- 
gler who  came  within  their  reach.  Such  of  the  rabble 
as  were  able  to  pay  the  entrance-fee  of  "dos  realles"  were 
sitting  in  groups  in  the  yard,  smoking  cigarritos  and  play- 
ing at  monte.  A  few  of  the  better  class  of  rancheros  had 
brought  seiioritas  with  them,  mounted  in  front  on  their 
saddles,  and  were  wending  their  wTay  up  the  step-ladder 
as  we  entered  the  premises. 

I  followed  the  crowd,  in  company  with  my  friend  Jack- 
son, and  was  admitted  into  the  saloon  upon  the  payment 
of  half  a  dollar.  This  fund  was  to  defray  the  expense  of 
lights  and  music. 

On  passing  through  the  doorway  I  was  forcibly  im- 
pressed with  the  scene.  Some  fifty  or  sixty  couples  were 
dancing  to  the  most  horrible  scraping  of  fiddles  I  had 
ever  heard,  marking  the  time  by  snapping  their  fingers, 
Avhistling,  and  clapping  their  hands.  The  fiddles  were 
accompanied  by  a  dreadful  twanging  of  guitars ;  and  an 
Indian  in  one  corner  of  the  saloon  added  to  the  din  by 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


237 


beating  with  all  bis  might  upon  a  rude  drum.  There 
was  an  odor  of  steaming  flesh,  cigarritos,  garlic,  and  Co- 
logne in  the  hot,  reeking  atmosphere  that  was  almost  suf- 
focating; and  the  floor  swayed  under  the  heavy  tram]) 
of  the  dancers,  as  if  every  turn  of  the  waltz  might  be  the 
last.  The  assemblage  was  of  a  very  mixed  character,  as 
may  well  be  supposed,  consisting  of  native  Californians, 
Sonoranians,  Americans,  Frenchmen,  Germans,  and  half- 
breed  Indians. 

Most  of  the  Mexicans  were  rancheros  and  vaqueros 
from  the  neighboring  ranches,  dressed  in  the  genuine 
style  of  Caballeros  del  Canrpana,  with  black  or  green 
velvet  jackets,  richly  embroidered ;  wide  pantaloons,  open 
at  the  sides,  ornamented  with  rows  of  silver  buttons ;  a 
red  sash  around  the  waist ;  and  a  great  profusion  of  gold 
filigree  on  their  vests.  These  were  the  fast  young  fellows 
who  had  been  successful  in  jockeying  away  their  horses, 
or  gambling  at  monte.  Others  of  a  darker  and  lower 
grade,  such  as  the  Sonoranians,  wore  their  hats  and  ma- 
chillas  just  as  they  had  come  in  from  camp ;  for  it  was 
one  of  the  privileges  of  the  fandango  that  every  man 
could  dress  or  undress  as  he  pleased.  A  very  desperate 
and  ill-favored  set  these  were — perfect  specimens  of  Mex- 
ican outlaws. 

The  Americans  were  chiefly  a  party  of  Texans,  who 
had  recently  crossed  over  through  Chihuahua,  and  com- 
pared not  unfavorably  with  the  Sonoranians  in  point  of 
savage  costume  and  appearance.  Some  wore  broadcloth 
frock-coats,  ragged  and  defaced  from  the  wear  and  tear 
of  travel ;  some  red  flannel  shirts,  without  any  coats — 
their  pantaloons  thrust  in  their  boots  in  a  loose,  swag- 
gering style ;  and  all  with  revolvers  and  bowie-knives 
swinging  from  their  belts.  A  more  reckless,  devil-may- 
care  looking  set  it  would  be  impossible  to  find  in  a  year's 
journey.  Take  them  altogether — with  their  uncouth  cos- 
tumes, bearded  faces,  lean  and  brawny  forms,  fierce,  sav- 
age eyes,  and  swaggering  manners — they  were  a  fit  as- 
semblage for  a  frolic  or  a  fight.    Every  word  they  spoke 


238 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


was  accompanied  by  an  oath.  The  presence  of  the  fe- 
males imposed  no  restraint  upon  the  subject  or  style  of 
the  conversation,  which  was  disgusting  to  the  last  degree. 
I  felt  ashamed  to  think  that  habit  should  so  brutalize  a 
people  of  my  own  race  and  blood. 

Many  of  the  senoritas  were  pretty,  and  those  who  had 
no  great  pretensions  to  beauty  in  other  respects  were  at 
least  gifted  with  fine  eyes  and  teeth,  rich  brunette  com- 
plexions, and  forms  of  wonderful  pliancy  and  grace.  All, 
or  nearly  all,  were  luminous  with  jewelry,  and  wore  dress- 
es of  the  most  flashy  colors,  in  which  flowers,  lace,  and 
glittering  tinsel  combined  to  set  off  their  dusky  charms. 
I  saw  some  among  them  who  would  not  have  compared 
unfavorably  with  the  ladies  of  Cadiz,  perhaps  in  more 
respects  than  one.  They  danced  easily  and  naturally; 
and,  considering  the  limited  opportunity  of  culture  they 
had  enjoyed  in  this  remote  region,  it  was  wonderful  how 
free,  simple,  and  graceful  they  were  in  their  manners. 

The  belle  of  the  occasion  was  a  dark-eyed,  fierce-look- 
ing woman  of  about  six-and-twenty,  a  half-breed  from 
Santa  Barbara.  Her  features  were  far  from  comely,  be- 
ing sharp  and  uneven ;  her  skin  was  scarred  with  fire  or 
small-pox ;  and  her  form,  though  not  destitute  of  a  cer- 
tain grace  of  style,  was  too  lithe,  wiry,  and  acrobatic  to 
convey  any  idea  of  voluptuous  attraction.  Every  motion, 
every  nerve  seemed  the  incarnation  of  a  suppressed  vig- 
or ;  every  glance  of  her  fierce,  flashing  eyes  was  instinct 
with  untamable  passion.  She  was  a  mustang  in  human 
shape— one  that  I  thought  would  kick  or  bite  upon  very 
slight  provocation.  In  the  matter  of  dress  she  was  al- 
most Oriental.  The  richest  and  most  striking  colors  dec- 
orated her,  and  made  a  rare  accord  with  her  wild  and  sin- 
gular physique ;  a  gorgeous  silk  dress  of  bright  orange, 
flounced  up  to  the  waist ;  a  white  bodice,  with  blood-red 
ribbons  upon  each  shoulder;  a  green  sash  around  the 
waist ;  an  immense  gold-cased  breast-pin,  with  diamonds 
glittering  in  the  centre,  the  greatest  profusion  of  rings 
on  her  fingers,  and  her  ears  loaded  down  with  sparkling 


THE  BELLE  OF  THE  FANDANGO. 


240 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


ear-rings ;  while  her  heavy  black  hair  was  gathered  up 
in  a  knot  behind,  and  pinned  with  a  gold  dagger — all  be- 
ing in  strict  keeping  with  her  wrild,  dashing  character, 
and  bearing  some  remote  affinity  to  a  dangerous  but  roy- 
al game-bird.  I  thought  of  the  Mexican  chichilaca  as  I 
gazed  at  her.  There  was  an  intensity  in  the  quick  flash 
of  her  eye  which  produced  a  burning  sensation  wherever 
it  fell.  She  cast  a  spell  around  her  not  unlike  the  fasci- 
nation of  a  snake.  The  women  shunned  and  feared  her ; 
the  men  absolutely  worshiped  at  her  shrine.  Their  in- 
fatuation was  almost  incredible.  She  seemed  to  have 
some  supernatural  capacity  for  arousing  the  fiercest  pas- 
sions of  love,  jealousy,  and  hatred.  Of  course  there  was 
great  rivalry  to  engage  the  hand  of  such  a  belle  for  the 
dance.  Crowds  of  admirers  were  constantly  urging  their 
claims.  It  was  impossible  to  look  upon  their  excited  faces 
and  savage  rivalry,  knowing  the  desperate  character  of 
the  men,  without  a  foreboding  of  evil. 

"Perhaps  you  will  not  be  surprised,"  said  Jackson,  "to 
hear  something  strange  and  startling  about  that  woman. 
She  is  a  murderess !  Isot  long  since  she  stabbed  to  death 
a  rival  of  hers,  another  half-breed,  who  had  attempted  to 
win  the  affections  of  her  paramour.  But,  worse  than 
that — she  is  strongly  suspected  of  having  killed  her  own 
child  a  few  months  ago,  in  a  fit  of  jealousy  caused  by  the 
supposed  infidelity  of  its  father — whose  identity,  howev- 
er, can  not  be  fixed  with  any  certainty.  She  is  a  strange, 
bad  woman — a  devil  incarnate ;  yet  you  see  what  a  spell 
she  casts  around  her !  Some  of  these  men  are  mad  in 
love  with  her !  They  will  fight  before  the  evening  is 
over.  Yet  she  is  neither  pretty  nor  amiable.  I  can  not 
account  for  it.    Let  me  introduce  you." 

As  soon  as  a  pause  in  the  dance  occurred  I  was  intro- 
duced. The  revolting  history  I  had  heard  of  this  woman 
inspired  me  with  a  curiosity  to  know  how  such  a  fiend 
in  human  shape  could  exercise  such  a  powerful  sway  over 
every  man  in  the  room. 

Although  she  spoke  but  little  English,  there  was  a  pe- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY.  241 

culiar  sweetness  in  every  word  she  uttered.  I  thought  I 
could  detect  something  of  the  secret  of  her  magical  pow- 
ers in  her  voice,  which  was  the  softest  and  most  musical 
I  had  ever  heard.  There  was  a  wild,  sweet,  almost  un- 
earthly cadence  in  it  that  vibrated  upon  the  ear  like  the 
strains  of  an  ^Eolian.  Added  to  this,  there  was  a  power 
of  alternate  ferocity  and  tenderness  in  her  deep,  passion- 
ate eyes,  that  struck  to  the  inner  core  wherever  she  fixed 
her  gaze.  I  could  not  determine  for  my  life  which  she 
resembled  most — the  untamed  mustang,  the  royal  game- 
bird,  or  the  rattlesnake.  There  were  flitting  hints  of  each 
in  her,  and  yet  the  comparison  is  feeble  and  inadequate. 
Sometimes  she  reminded  me  of  Rachel — then  the  living, 
now  the  dead,  Queen  of  Tragedy.  Had  it  not  been  for  a 
horror  of  her  repulsive  crimes,  it  is  hard  to  say  how  far 
her  fascinating  powers  might  have  affected  me.  As  it 
was,  I  could  only  wonder  whether  she  was  most  genius 
or  devil.  Not  knowing  how  to  dance,  I  could  not  offer 
my  services  in  that  way,  and,  after  a  few  commonplace 
remarks,  withdrew  to  a  seat  near  the  wall.  The  dance 
went  on  with  great  spirit.  Absurd  as  it  may  seem,  I 
could  not  keep  my  eyes  off  this  woman.  Whichever  way 
she  looked  there  was  a  commotion — a  shrinking  back 
among  the  women,  or  the  symptoms  of  a  jealous  rage 
among  the  men.  For  her  own  sex  she  manifested  an  ab- 
solute scorn  ;  for  the  other  she  had  an  inexhaustible  fund 
of  sweet  glances,  which  each  admirer  might  take  to  him- 
self. 

At  a  subsequent  period  of  the  evening  I  observed,  for 
the  first  time,  among  the  company  a  man  of  very  conspic- 
uous appearance,  dressed  in  the  very  picturesque  style 
of  a  Texan  Ranger.  His  face  was  turned  from  me  when 
I  first  saw  him,  but  there  was  something  manly  and  im- 
posing about  his  figure  and  address  that  attracted  my  at- 
tention. While  I  was  looking  tOAvard  him  he  turned  to 
speak  to  some  person  near  him.  My  astonishment  may 
well  be  conceived  when  I  recognized  in  his  strongly- 
marked  features  and  dejected  expression  the  face  of  the 

L 


242 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


man  "  Griff,"  to  whom  I  was  indebted  for  my  escape  from 
the  assassins  near  Soledad !  There  could  be  no  doubt 
that  this  was  the  outlaw  who  had  rendered  me  such  an 
inestimable  service,  differently  dressed,  indeed,  and  some- 
what disfigured  by  a  ghastly  wound  across  the  temple, 
but  still  the  same ;  still  bearing  himself  with  an  air  of  de- 
termination mingled  with  profound  sadness.  It  was  evi- 
dent the  Colonel  had  misinformed  me  as  to  his  death. 
Perhaps,  judging  from  the  wound  on  his  temple,  which 
was  still  unhealed,  he  might  have  been  left  for  dead,  and 
subsequently  have  effected  his  escape.  At  all  events, 
there  was  no  doubt  that  he  now  stood  before  me. 

I  was  about  to  spring  forward  and  grasp  him  by  the 
hand,  when  the  dreadful  scene  I  had  witnessed  in  the 
little  adobe  hut  near  San  Miguel  flashed  vividly  upon  my 
mind,  and,  for  the  moment,  I  felt  like  one  who  was  par- 
alyzed. That  hand  might  be  stained  with  the  blood  of 
the  unfortunate  emigrants !  "Who  could  tell  ?  He  had 
disavowed  any  participation  in  the  act,  but  his  complic- 
ity, either  remote  or  direct,  could  scarcely  be  doubted 
from  his  own  confession.  How  far  his  guilt  might  ren- 
der him  amenable  to  the  laws  I  could  not  of  course  con- 
jecture. It  was  enough  for  me,  however,  that  he  had 
saved  my  life ;  but  I  could  not  take  his  hand. 

While  reflecting  upon  the  course  that  it  might  become 
my  duty  to  pursue  under  the  circumstances,  I  observed 
that  he  was  not  exempt  from  the  fascinating  sway  of  the 
dark  senorita,  whose  face  he  regarded  with  an  interest 
even  more  intense  than  that  manifested  by  her  other  ad- 
mirers. He  was  certainly  a  person  calculated  to  make 
an  impression  upon  such  a  woman ;  yet,  strange  to  say, 
he  was  the  only  man  in  the  crowd  toward  whom  she 
evinced  a  spirit  of  hostility.  Several  times  he  went  up 
to  her  and  asked  her  to  dance.  Whether  from  caprice 
or  some  more  potent  cause  I  could  not  conjecture,  but 
she  invariably  repulsed  him — once  with  a  degree  of  as- 
perity that  indicated  something  more  than  a  casual  ac- 
quaintance.   It  was  in  vain  he  attempted  to  cajole  her. 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


243 


She  was  evidently  bitter  and  unrelenting  in  her  animos- 
ity. At  length,  incensed  at  his  pertinacity,  she  turned 
sharply  upon  him,  and  leaning  her  head  close  to  his  ear, 
whispered  something,  the  effect  of  which  was  magical. 
He  staggered  back  as  if  stunned,  and,  gazing  a  moment 
at  her  with  an  expression  of  horror,  turned  away  and 
walked  out  of  the  room.  The  woman's  face  was  a  shade 
paler,  but  she  quickly  resumed  her  usual  smile,  and  oth- 
erwise manifested  no  emotion. 

This  little  incident  was  probably  unnoticed  by  any  ex- 
cept myself.  I  sat  in  a  recess  near  the  window,  and  could 
see  all  that  was  going  on  without  attracting  attention.  I 
had  resolved,  after  overcoming  my  first  friendly  impulses, 
not  to  discover  myself  to  the  outlaw  until  the  fandango 
was  over,  and  then  determine  upon  my  future  course  re- 
garding him  by  the  result  of  a  confidential  interview.  I 
fully  believed  that  he  would  tell  me  the  truth,  and  noth- 
ing but  the  truth,  in  reference  to  the  murder  of  the  emi- 
grants. 

The  dance  went  on.  It  was  a  Spanish  waltz ;  the 
click-clack  of  the  feet,  in  slow-measured  time,  was  very 
monotonous,  producing  a  peculiarly  dreamy  effect.  I 
sometimes  closed  my  eyes  and  fancied  it  was  all  a  wild, 
strange  dream.  Visions  of  the  beautiful  country  through 
which  I  had  passed  flitted  before  me — a  country  dese- 
crated by  the  worst  passions  of  human  nature.  Amid 
L  the  rarest  charms  of  scenery  and  climate,  what  a  combi- 
nation of  dark  and  deadly  sins  oppressed  the  mind  ! 
What  a  cess-pool  of  wickedness  was  here  within  these 
very  walls! 

Half  an  hour  may  have  elapsed  in  this  sort  of  dream- 
ing, when  Griff,  who  had  been  so  strangely  repulsed  by 
the  dark  senorita,  came  back  and  pushed  his  way  through 
the  crowd.  This  time  I  noticed  that  his  face  was  flushed, 
and  a  gleam  of  desperation  was  in  his  eye.  The  wound 
in  his  temple  had  a  purple  hue,  and  looked  as  if  it  might 
burst  out  bleeding  afresh.  His  motions  were  unsteady 
— he  had  evidently  been  drinking.    Edging  over  toward 


244 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


the  woman,  he  stood  watching  her  till  there  was  a  pause 
in  the  dance.  Her  partner  was  a  handsome  young  Mex- 
ican, very  gayly  dressed,  whom  I  had  before  noticed,  and 
to  whom  she  now  made  herself  peculiarly  fascinating. 
She  smiled  when  he  spoke ;  laughed  very  musically  at 
every  thing  he  said  ;  leaned  up  toward  him,  and  assumed 
a  wonderfully  sweet  and  confidential  manner.  The  Mex- 
ican was  perfectly  infatuated.  He  made  the  most  pas- 
sionate avowals,  scarcely  conscious  what  he  was  saying. 
I  watched  the  tall  Texan.  The  veins  in  his  forehead 
were  swollen ;  he  strode  to  and  fro  restlessly,  fixing  fierce 
and  deadly  glances  upon  the  loving  couple.  A  terrible 
change  had  taken  place  in  the  expression  of  his  features, 
which  ordinarily  had  something  sweet  and  sad  in  it.  It 
was  now  dark,  brutish,  and  malignant.  Suddenly,  as  if 
by  an  ungovernable  impulse,  he  rushed  up  close  to  where 
they  stood,  and,  drawing  a  large  bowie-knife,  said  to  the 
woman,  in  a  quick,  savage  tone, 

"  Dance  with  me  now,  or,  damn  you,  I'll  cut  your  heart 
out!" 

She  turned  toward  him  haughtily — "  Seiior !" 
"  Dance  with  me,  or  die  !" 

"  Senor,"  said  the  woman,  quietly,  and  with  an  un- 
flinching eye,  "  you  are  drunk !  Don't  come  so  near  to 
me!" 

The  infuriated  man  made  a  motion  as  if  to  strike  at 
her  with  his  knife ;  but,  quick  as  lightning,  the  young 
Mexican  grasped  his  uprisen  arm  and  the  two  clenched. 
I  could  not  see  what  was  done  in  the  struggle.  Those 
of  the  crowd  who  were  nearest  rushed  in,  and  the  affray 
soon  became  general.  Pistols  and  knives  were  drawn 
ia  every  direction;  but  so  sudden  was  the  fight  that 
nobody  seemed  to  know  where  to  aim  or  strike.  In  the 
midst  of  the  confusion,  a  man  jumped  up  on  one  of  the 
benches  and  shouted, 

"  Back !  back  with  you  !  The  man's  stabbed  I  Let 
him  out !" 

The  swaying  mass  parted,  and  the  tall  Texan  stag- 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


245 


gered  through,  then  fell  upon  the  floor.  His  shirt  was 
covered  with  blood,  and  he  breathed  heavily.  A  mo- 
ment after  the  woman  uttered  a  low,  wild  cry,  and,  dash- 
ing through  the  crowd — her  long  black  hair  streaming 
behind  her — she  cast  herself  down  by  the  prostrate  man 
and  sobbed, 

"  O  cara  mio !    O  Deos !  is  he  dead  ?  is  he  dead  ?" 

"  Who  did  this  ?  Who  stabbed  this  man  ?"  demand- 
ed several  voices,  fiercely. 

"No  matter,"  answered  the  wounded  man,  faintly. 
"  It  was  my  own  fault ;  I  deserved  it ;"  and,  turning  his 
face  toward  the  weeping  woman,  he  said,  smiling,  "  Don't 
cry ;  don't  go  on  so." 

There  was  an  ineffable  tenderness  in  his  voice,  and 
something  indescribably  sweet  in  the  expression  of  his 
face. 

"  O  Deos  !"  cried  the  woman,  kissing  him  passionately. 
"  O  cara  mio !  Say  you  will  not  die  !  Tell  me  you  will 
not  die !"  And,  tearing  her  dress  with  frantic  strength, 
she  tried  to  stanch  the  blood,  which  was  rapidly  forming 
a  crimson  pool  around  him. 

The  crowd  meantime  pressed  so  close  that  the  man 
suffered  for  want  of  air,  and  begged  to  be  removed. 
Several  persons  seized  hold  of  him,  and,  lifting  him  from 
the  floor,  carried  him  out.  The  dark  senorita  followed 
close  up,  still  pressing  the  fragments  of  her  bloodstained 
dress  to  his  wound. 

Order  was  restored,  and  the  music  and  dancing  went 
on  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

I  had  no  desire  to  see  any  more  of  the  evening  amuse- 
ments. 

Next  day  I  learned  that  the  unfortunate  man  was  dead. 
He  was  a  stranger  at  San  Luis,  and  refused  to  reveal  his 
name,  or  make  any  disclosures  concerning  the  affray. 
His  last  words  were  addressed  to  the  woman,  who  clung 
to  him  with  a  devotion  bordering  on  insanity.  When 
she  saw  that  he  was  doomed  to  die,  the  tears  ceased  to 
flow  from  her  eyes,  and  she  sat  by  his  bedside  with  a 


246 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


wild,  affrighted  look,  clutching  his  hands  in  hers,  and 
ever  and  anon  bathing  her  lips  in  the  life-blood  that 
oozed  from  his  mouth. 

"  1 loved  you — still  love  you  better  than  my  life!" 

These  were  his  last  words.  A  gurgle,  a  quivering 
motion  of  the  stalwart  frame,  and  he  was  dead ! 

At  an  examination  before  the  alcalde,  it  was  proved 
that  the  stabbing  must  have  occurred  before  the  affray 
became  general.  It  was  also  shown  that  the  young 
Mexican  was  unarmed,  and  had  no  acquaintance  with 
the  murdered  man. 

Who  could  have  done  it  ? 

Was  it  the  devil- woman  ?  Was  this  a  case  of  jeal- 
ousy, and  was  the  tall  Texan  the  father  of  the  murdered 
child  ? 

Upon  these  points  I  could  get  no  information.  The 
whole  affair,  with  all  its  antecedent  circumstances,  was 
wrapped  in  an  impenetrable  mystery.  When  the  body 
was  carried  to  the  grave  by  a  few  strangers,  including 
myself,  the  chief  mourner  was  the  half-breed  woman — 
now  a  ghastly  wreck.  The  last  I  saw  of  her,  as  we  turn- 
ed sadly  away,  she  was  sitting  upon  the  sod  at  the  head 
of  the  grave,  motionless  as  a  statue. 

Next  morning  a  vaquero,  passing  in  that  direction, 
noticed  a  shapeless  mass  lying  upon  the  newly-spaded 
earth.  It  proved  to  be  the  body  of  the  unfortunate 
woman,  horribly  mutilated  by  the  wolves.  The  clothes 
were  torn  from  it,  and  the  limbs  presented  a  ghastly 
spectacle  of  fleshless  bones.  Whether  she  died  by  her 
own  hand,  or  was  killed  by  the  wolves  during  the  night, 
none  could  tell.    She  was  buried  by  the  side  of  her  lover. 

Soon  after  these  events,  having  completed  my  business 
in  San  Luis,  I  took  passage  in  a  small  schooner  for  San 
Francisco,  where  I  had  the  satisfaction  in  a  few  days  of 
turning  over  ten  thousand  dollars  to  the  Collector  of 
Customs. 

I  never  afterward  could  obtain  any  information  re- 
specting the  two  men  mentioned  in  the  early  part  of  my 


A  DANGEROUS  JOURNEY. 


247 


narrative — the  Colonel  and  Jack.  No  steps  were  taken 
by  the  authorities  to  arrest  them.  It  is  the  usual  fate  of 
such  men  in  California  sooner  or  later  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  an  avenging  mob.  Doubtless  they  met  with  a 
merited  retribution. 

Eleven  years  have  passed  since  these  events  took  place. 
Many  changes  have  occurred  in  California.  The  gangs 
of  desperadoes  that  infested  the  state  have  been  broken 
up ;  some  of  the  members  have  met  their  fate  at  the 
hands  of  justice — more  have  fallen  victims  to  their  own 
excesses.  I  have  meanwhile  traveled  in  many  lands,  and 
have  had  my  full  share  of  adventures.  But  still,  every 
incident  in  the  "Dangerous  Journey"  which  I  have  at- 
tempted to  describe  is  as  fresh  in  my  mind  as  if  it  hap* 
pened  but  yesterday. 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


I. 

MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES. 

There  is  something  very  fascinating  in  public  office. 
The  dignity  of  the  position  touches  our  noblest  sympa- 
thies, and  makes  heroes  and  patriots  of  the  most  com- 
monplace men.  It  is  wonderful,  too,  how  unselfish  peo- 
ple become  under  the  influence  of  this  most  potent  charm. 
Every  four  years  it  becomes  an  epidemic.  The  passional 
attraction  of  office  is  felt  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  land.  Many  thousands  of  our  best  citi- 
zens visit  the  seat  of  government  at  the  inauguration  of 
a  new  president.  A  large  proportion  of  them  have  faith- 
fully served  their  country  by  contributing  their  time,  tal- 
ents, energies,  and  pecuniary  resources  to  the  success  of 
the  dominant  party.  But  they  don't  want  any  thing; 
they  have  a  natural  repugnance  to  office;  they  merely 
come  to  look  on,  and  pay  their  respects  to  the  chief  mag- 
istrate. If  he  deems  it  necessary  to  solicit  their  services 
for  the  common  good,  it  is  not  for  them,  as  patriotic  cit- 
izens, to  refuse.  The  seductive  influences  of  official  posi- 
tion may  tend,  perhaps,  to  quicken  their  perception  of 
the  grades  of  service  in  which  their  time  could  be  most 
profitably  spent ;  but  modesty,  after  all,  is  their  predom- 
inant trait.  Indeed,  for  that  matter,  the  general  charac- 
teristic of  great  men  is  modesty,  and  where  will  you  see 
so  many  notoriously  great  men  as  in  Washington  upon 
the  advent  of  a  new  administration.  The  difficulty  is  to 
find  a  man  who  is  not  great.  You  may  find  many  who 
L  2 


250 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


are  poor,  soine  thriftless,  and  a  few  worthless,  but  none 
deficient  in  greatness.  It  must  not  be  understood,  how- 
ever, that  mercenary  considerations  have  any  connection 
with  the  charm  which  allures  them  thither.  These  ex- 
cellent people — as  in  my  own  case,  for  example — are  gov- 
erned by  motives  of  the  purest  and  most  exalted  patriot- 
ism. Who  is  there  so  destitute  of  national  pride — so  in- 
different to  the  welfare  of  his  fellow-beings,  that  he  does 
not  desire  to  serve  his  country  when  he  sees  that  she 
stands  in  need  of  his  services  ? 

The  consideration  of  a  per-diem  allowance  could  not 
be  wholly  discarded,  but  I  assure  you,  upon  the  veracity 
of  a  public  officer,  it  had  not  the  slightest  influence  upon 
me  when  I  accepted  the  responsible  position  of  Inspector 
General  of  Public  Depositories.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury — a  gentleman  in  whom  I  had  great  confidence 
— required  my  services.  I  was  unwilling,  of  course,  to 
stand  in  the  way  of  an  efficient  administration  of  the  af- 
fairs of  his  department.  The  fact  is,  I  had  great  personal 
respect  for  him,  and  was  anxious  to  afford  him  all  the  as- 
sistance in  my  power.  I  do  not  pretend  to  say  that  the 
appointment  of  inspector  general  was  destitute  of  attrac- 
tions in  itself,  but  they  were  not  of  a  pecuniary  charac- 
ter. The  title  had  a  sonorous  and  authoritative  ring 
about  it  altogether  different  from  the  groveling  jingle  of 
filthy  lucre — something  that  vibrated  upon  the  higher 
chords  of  the  soul. 

An  honorable  ambition  to  serve  one's  country  is  one 
of  the  highest  and  most  ennobling  passions  that  can  gov- 
ern the  human  mind.  To  this  may  be  attributed  some 
of  the  greatest  achievements  which  have  given  lustre  to 
ancient  and  modern  history.  It  has  developed  the  great- 
est intellects  of  the  Old  and  New  World,  and  furnished 
the  rising  generation  with  illustrious  models  of  unselfish 
devotion  to  the  common  welfare  of  mankind. 

No  wonder,  then,  that  office  possesses  such  extraordi- 
nary attractions.  It  is  the  cheapest  way  of  becoming 
great.    A  man  never  before  heard  of  outside  of  his  vil- 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES.  251 


lage  home — never  before  known  to  do  any  thing  remark- 
able by  his  most  intimate  friends — never  before  suspect- 
ed of  possessing  the  least  capacity  for  mental  or  manual 
labor  of  any  kind  whatsoever,  may  become,  in  the  course 
of  four-and-twenty  hours,  a  topic  of  newspaper  comment 
throughout  the  whole  country  —  praised  for  virtues  he 
never  possessed,  abused  for  vices  to  which  he  never  as- 
pired. An  appointment  places  him  prominently  before 
the  public.  It  shows  the  world  that  there  was  always 
something  in  him — whether  whisky  or  sense  matters  lit- 
tle, since  he  has  received  the  endorsement  of  the  "  pow- 
ers that  be." 

To  make  a  short  story  of  it,  I  was  obliged  to  accept 
the  position.  The  party  in  power  stood  in  need  of  my 
services.  I  could  not  refuse  without  great  detriment  to 
the-country.  This  was  many  years  since  ;  and  I  beg  to 
say  that  there  is  nothing  in  my  journal  of  experiences 
bearing  upon  the  present  state  of  affairs.  At  great  pe- 
cuniary sacrifice  (that  is  to  say,  in  a  prospective  sense, 
for  I  hadn't  a  dime  in  the  world),  I  announced  myself  as 
ready  to  proceed  to  duty.  In  his  letter  of  instructions, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  was  pleased  to  direct  me 
to  proceed  to  the  Pacific  coast,  and  carefully  examine 
into  the  condition  of  the  revenue  service  in  that  remote 
region.  I  was  to  see  that  the  accounts  of  the  collectors 
were  properly  kept  and  rendered  ;  that  the  revenue  laws 
were  faithfully  administered ;  that  the  valuation  of  im- 
ports was  uniform  throughout  the  various  districts ; 
whether  any  reduction  could  be  made  in  the  number  of 
inspectors  and  aids  to  the  revenue  stationed  within  their 
limits,  with  a  view  to  a  more  economical  administration 
of  the  laws ;  whether  the  public  moneys  were  kept  in  the 
manner  prescribed  by  the  Independent  Treasury  Act  of 
August  6th,  1846  ;  and  what  additional  measures,  if  any, 
were  necessary  for  the  prevention  of  smuggling  and  oth- 
er frauds  upon  the  revenue,  all  of  which  I  was  to  report, 
with  such  views  as  might  be  suggested  in  the  course  of 
the  investigation  for  the  promotion  of  the  public  inter- 


252 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


ests.  These  were  but  a  few  of  the  important  subjects 
of  official  inquiry  upon  which  I  was  to  enlighten  the  De- 
partment. I  frankly  confess  that,  when  I  read  the  in- 
structions, and  pondered  over  their  massive  proportions 
and  severe  tone  of  gravity,  I  was  appalled  at  the  immen- 
sity of  the  interests  committed  to  my  charge.  A  some- 
what versatile  career,  during  which  I  had  served  before 
the  mast  in  a  whaler,  studied  medicine,  hunted  squirrels 
in  the  backwoods,  followed  the  occupation  of  ferry-keep- 
er, flat-boat  hand,  and  short-hand  writer,  had  not  fitted 
me  particularly  for  this  sort  of  business.  What  did  I 
know  about  the  forms  of  accounts  current,  drawbacks, 
permits,  entries,  appraisements,  licenses,  enrollments,  and 
abstracts  of  imports  and  exports  ?  What  reliable  or  def- 
inite information  was  I  prepared  to  give  to  collectors  of 
customs  in  reference  to  schedules  and  sliding  scales? 
What  hope  was  there  that  I  could  ever  get  to  the  bot- 
tom of  a  fraud  upon  the  revenue  service,  when  I  had  but 
a  glimmering  notion  of  the  difference  between  fabrics  of 
which  the  component  parts  were  two  thirds  wool,  and 
fabrics  composed  in  whole  or  in  part  of  sheet-iron,  leath- 
er, or  gutta-percha  ? 

As  for  inspectors  of  customs,  how  in  the  world  was 
an  agent  to  find  out  how  many  inspectors  were  needed 
except  by  asking  the  collector  of  the  district,  who  ought 
to  know  more  about  it  than  a  stranger  ?  But  if  the  col- 
lector had  half  a  dozen  brothers,  cousins,  or  friends  in 
office  as  inspectors,  would  it  not  be  expecting  a  little  too 
much  of  human  nature  to  suppose  he  would  say  there 
were  too  many  in  his  district  ?  I  reflected  over  the  idea 
of  asking  one  of  these  gentlemen  to  inform  me  confiden- 
tially if  he  thought  he  could  dispense  with  a  dozen  or  so 
of  his  relatives  and  friends  without  detriment  to  the  pub- 
lic service,  but  abandoned  it  as  chimerical.  Then,  to  go 
outside  and  question  any  disinterested  member  of  the 
community  on  this  subject  seemed  equally  absurd.  Who 
could  be  said  to  be  disinterested  when  only  a  few  offices 
were  to  be  filled,  and  a  great  many  people  wished  to  fill 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES. 


253 


them  ?  I  would  be  pretty  sure  to  stumble  upon  some  dis- 
appointed applicant  for  an  inspectorship,  or,  worse  still, 
upon  a  smuggler.  It  is  a  well-ascertained  fact  that  dis- 
appointed applicants  for  office  are  always  opposed  to  the 
fortunate  applicants,  and  smugglers,  as  a  general  rule, 
have  a  natural  antipathy  to  inspectors  of  customs. 

There  was  another  serious  duty  imposed  upon  me — to 
ascertain  the  character  and  standing  of  all  the  public  em- 
ployes, their  general  reputation  for  sobriety,  industry, 
aud  honesty,  and  to  report  accordingly.  Here  was  rather 
a  delicate  matter — one,  in  fact,  that  might  be  productive 
of  innumerable  personal  difficulties.  Having  no  unfriend- 
ly feeling  toward  any  man,  and  attaching  a  fair  valuation 
to  life,  I  did  not  much  relish  the  notion  of  placing  any 
man's  personal  infirmities  upon  the  official  records.  If 
a  public  officer  drank  too  much  whisky,  it  was  certainly 
a  very  injurious  practice,  alike  prejudicial  to  his  health 
and  morals ;  but  where  was  to  be  the  gauge  between  too 
much  and  only  just  enough  ?  No  man  likes  to  have  his 
predilection  for  stimulating  beverages  made  a  matter  of 
public  question,  and  the  gradations  between  temperance 
and  intemperance  are  so  arbitrary  in  different  communi- 
ties that  it  would  be  a  very  difficult  matter  to  report 
upon.  I  have  seen  men  "  sociable"  in  New  Orleans  who 
would  be  considered  "  elevated"  in  Boston,  and  men  "  a 
little  shot"  in  Texas  who  would  be  regarded  as  "  drunk" 
in  Maine.  It  is  all  a  matter  of  opinion.  ~No  man  is  ever 
drunk  in  his  own  estimation,  and  whether  he  is  so  in  the 
estimation  of  others  depends  pretty  much  upon  their 
standard  of  sobriety.  With  respect  to  honesty,  that  was 
an  equally  delicate  matter.  What  might  be  considered 
honest  among  politicians  might  be  very  questionable  in 
ordinary  life.  I  once  knew  of  a  public  officer  wrho  had 
been  charged  with  embezzling  certain  public  moneys. 
There  was  no  doubt  of  the  fact,  but  he  fought  a  duel  to 
prove  his  innocence.  In  one  respect,  at  least,  he  was 
honest — he  placed  a  fair  valuation  upon  his  life,  which 
was  worth  no  more  to  the  community  than  it  was  to 


254 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


himself.  I  did  not  think  an  ordinary  per-diem  allowance 
would  be  sufficient  to  compensate  for  maintaining  the 
public  credit  by  such  tests  as  this,  especially  as  there 
were  nearly  two  hundred  public  offices  to  be  examined  ; 
but  it  seemed  nothing  more  than  reasonable  that  the 
laws  should  be  administered  by  sober  and  honest  men, 
and,  upon  the  whole,  I  could  not  perceive  how  this  un- 
pleasant duty  could  be  avoided. 

The  Department  furnished  me  with  a  penknife,  a  pen- 
cil, several  quires  of  paper,  and  a  copy  of  Gordon's  Di- 
gest of  the  Revenue  Laws.  This  was  my  outfit.  It  was 
not  equal  to  the  outfit  of  a  minister  plenipotentiary,  but 
there  was  a  certain  dignity  in  its  very  simplicity.  To 
be  the  owner  of  a  fine  Congressional  penknife,  a  genuine 
English  lead-pencil,  paper  ad  libitum,  and  Gordon's  Di- 
gest, was  no  trifling  advance  in  my  practical  resources. 
I  looked  into  the  Digest,  read  many  of  the  laws,  and  be- 
came satisfied  that  the  Creator  had  not  gifted  me  with 
any  capacity  for  understanding  that  species  of  writing. 
For  Mr.  Gordon,  who  had  digested  those  laws,  I  felt  a 
very  profound  admiration.  His  powers  of  digestion  were 
certainly  better  than  mine.  I  would  much  rather  have 
undertaken  to  digest  a  keg  of  spike  nails.  The  Act  of 
March  2,  1799,  upon  which  most  of  the  others  were 
based,  was  evidently  drawn  with  great  ability,  and  cov- 
ered the  whole  subject.  Like  a  Boeotian  fog,  however, 
it  covered  it  up  so  deep  that  I  don't  think  the  author 
ever  saw  it  again  after  he  got  through  writing  the  law. 
Whenever  there  was  a  tangible  point  to  be  found,  it  was 
either  abolished,  or  so  obscured  by  some  other  law  made 
in  conformity  with  the  progress  of  the  times  that  it  be- 
came no  point  at  all ;  so  that,  after  perusing  pretty  much 
the  whole  book,  and  referring  to  Mayo's  Compendium 
of  Circulars  and  Treasury  Regulations,  I  am  free  to  con- 
fess the  effect  was  very  decided.  I  knew  a  great  deal 
less  than  before,  for  I  was  utterly  unable  to  determine 
who  was  right — Congress,  Gordon,  Mayo,  or  myself. 
Under  these  circumstances,  it  will  hardly  be  a  matter 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES. 


255 


of  surprise  that  serious  doubt  as  to  my  capacity  for  this 
service  entered  my  mind.  Perhaps,  in  the  whole  history 
of  government  offices,  it  was  the  first  time  such  a  doubt 
ever  entered  any  man's  head  upon  receiving  an  appoint- 
ment, and  I  claim  some  credit  for  originality  on  that  ac- 
count. The  position  was  highly  responsible ;  the  duties 
were  of  a  very  grave  and  important  character,  bordering 
on  the  metaphysical.  Now,  had  I  been  requested  to  visit 
Juan  Fernandez,  and  report  upon  the  condition  of  Robin- 
son Crusoe's  castle,  or  ascertain  the  spot  in  which  he 
found  the  footprint  in  the  sand,  or  describe  for  the  bene- 
fit of  science  the  breed  of  wild  goats  descended  from  the 
original  stock — had  these  questions  been  involved  in  my 
instructions,  or  had  I  been  appointed  to  succeed  Sancho 
Panza  in  the  government  of  Nantucket  (which  I  verily 
believe  was  the  island  referred  to  by  Cervantes),  I  could 
have  had  no  misgivings  of  success.  But  this  awful  thing 
of  abstracts  and  accounts  current;  this  subtile  mystery 
of  appraisements,  appeals,  drawbacks,  bonds,  and  bonded 
warehouses ;  this  terrible  demon  of  manifests,  invoices, 
registers,  enrollments,  and  licenses ;  this  hateful  abom- 
ination of  circulars  on  refined  sugar,  and  fabrics  com- 
posed in  whole  or  in  part  of  wool ;  this  miserable  sub- 
terfuge of  triplicate  vouchers  and  abstracts  of  disburse- 
ments, combined  to  cast  a  gloom  over  my  mind  almost 
akin  to  despair.  The  question  arose,  would  it  not  be  the 
most  honorable  course  to  return  the  commission  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  confess  to  him  confiden- 
tially, as  a  friend,  that  I  thought  he  would  render  the 
country  greater  service  by  appointing  a  more  suitable 
agent?  But  then  there  was  the  per-diem  allowance,  a 
very  snug  little  sum,  much  needed  at  the  time;  and  there 
was  the  honor  of  the  position — a  pillar  in  the  federal 
structure ;  and  then  the  advantage  of  travel,  and  the 
charm  of  becoming  at  once  famous  in  the  national  rec- 
ords. Besides,  it  might  be  considered  disrespectful  to 
say  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury — a  gentleman  from 
an  interior  state,  who  had  no  experience  in  commerce  or 


256 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


public  finances — that  I  had  no  experience  in  these  things 
myself,  and  doubted  my  capacity  to  do  justice  to  the 
government.  Might  he  not  regard  such  a  confession  in 
the  light  of  a  personal  reflection  ? 

After  all,  I  thought  it  would  be. as  well  perhaps  to  try 
my  hand  at  the  business.  Many  a  man  never  finds  out 
that  he  is  great  in  some  particular  line  till  he  tries  his 
hand.  I  have  at  this  moment  in  my  eye  at  least  half  a 
dozen  senators  of  the  United  States  who  I  verily  believe 
would  make  excellent  butchers,  bakers,  blacksmiths,  and 
carpenters,  if  they  only  knew  it.  I  am  acquainted  with 
some  that  would  be  an  ornament  to  any  court  of  justice 
as  public  criers,  and  not  a  few  who  would  make  capital 
hands  at  playing  quoits  and  pitch-penny.  In  short,  I 
know  many  men  occupying  these  positions  who  would 
succeed  even  better  in  other  branches  of  industry  than 
in  the  capacity  of  statesmen ;  but  the  misfortune  is,  they 
are  not  aware  of  the  fact,  and  never  can  be  persuaded  to 
believe  it.  Very  few  men  understand  what  they  are 
good  for  till  some  adventitious  circumstance  occurs  to 
develop  their  latent  and  peculiar  talents.  In  this  view, 
it  might  be  that  I  was  a  capital  hand  at  revenue  busi- 
ness, though,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  had  never  collected  any 
revenue  worth  mentioning  on  my  own  account ;  and 
what  experience  I  had  had  in  depositories  was  confined 
to  my  own  pockets,  which  seldom  retained  the  sums  de- 
posited in  them  over  twelve  hours,  if  so  long  as  that. 

A  transcript  from  my  official  reports  will  convey  some 
idea  of  my  labors  under  the  complicated  instructions  is- 
sued to  me  at  various  intervals  from  Washington. 

The  first  has  reference  to  the  general  subject  of  smug- 
gling, and  proposes  the  removal  of  the  Custom-house 
from  San  Francisco  to  Bear  Harbor,  near  Cape  Mendo- 
cino. This  was  addressed  to  his  Honor  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury : 

"  Sir, — If  Bear  Harbor  is  eligible  for  any  purpose  in 
the  world,  it  is  for  a  port  of  entry  and  a  custom-house. 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES. 


257 


Not  that  there  are  any  inhabitants  there  at  present,  or 
in  the  vicinity,  except  Indians,  bears,  elk,  deer,  and  wild- 
cats; not  that  any  vessels  ever  come  in  there,  or  ever 
will,  perhaps,  but  as  a  guard  against  smuggling.  You 
know,  sir,  from  the  experience  of  collectors  from  Passa- 
maquoddy  Bay  to  Point  Isabel,  and  from  San  Diego  to 
the  Straits  of  Fuca,  that  smuggling  must  be  going  on 
somewhere,  else  why  is  the  Treasury  Department  flood- 
ed with  applications  for  an  increase  of  inspectors  ?  Even 
senators  and  members  of  Congress  unite  in  the  opinion 
that  a  great  deal  of  smuggling  is  perpetrated  on  remote 
and  isolated  parts  of  our  coast,  for  they  are  always  rec- 
ommending some  friend  in  whom  they  have  confidence 
to  keep  a  guard  upon  the  revenue  at  such  places.  One 
would  think  that  smugglers  would  rather  pay  duties  and 
take  their  wares  into  a  good  market,  than  put  them 
ashore  where  there  are  no  inhabitants,  and  transport 
them  at  double  the  risk  and  cost  to  some  place  where 
they  are  wanted.  If  they  must  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  vi- 
olating the  law  at  all,  would  it  not  pay  better  to  smug- 
gle their  wares  directly  into  the  principal  cities,  as  New 
York  or  San  Francisco,  for  example  ?  I  know  that  in 
the  former  place  they  incur  some  risk  of  detection  from 
night  inspectors,  who  are  supposed  to  be  always  on  the 
look-out  about  the  wharves  after  dark ;  but  in  San  Fran- 
cisco the  night  inspectors  have  been  abolished  on  account 
of  the  soporific  effects  of  the  climate.  Several  of  them 
fell  asleep  directly  after  receiving  their  appointments, 
and  never  woke  up,  except  on  pay-day,  during  the  entire 
term  of  their  service. 

"For  some  years,  at  least,  one  collector  of  customs 
could  perform  all  the  duties  that  might  be  required  of 
him  at  Bear  Harbor.  No  doubt  the  dullest  and  laziest 
politician  in  the  entire  state  could  be  hired  to  occupy  the 
position  at  three  thousand  dollars  per  annum.  The  col- 
lector at  the  city  of  Gardner,  which  consists  of  two  small 
frame  shanties  and  a  pig-pen,  situated  at  the  mouth' of 
the  Umpqua  River — where  shipwreck  is  almost  absolute- 


258 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


ly  certain  in  case  a  vessel  attempts  to  enter — receives 
only  a  thousand  dollars  per  annum.  Sir,  it  can  not  be 
expected  that  a  gentleman  more  than  ordinarily  gifted 
with  valuable  traits  of  character  can  be  obtained  for  so 
small  a  sum.  Government  is  compelled  to  pay  for  the 
services  of  active  and  intelligent  collectors  at  the  ports 
of  Benicia,  Sacramento,  Stockton,  Monterey,  San  Pedro, 
and  San  Diego,  three  thousand  dollars  a  year  each.  If 
they  were  at  all  conspicuous  for  idleness,  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  conjecture  what  it  would  cost  to  obtain  their  serv- 
ices ;  but  the  amount  of  labor  performed  by  these  gen- 
tlemen (who,  by  the  way,  are  all  very  excellent  persons, 
and  for  whom  I  entertain  great  personal  respect)  is  al- 
most incredible.  At  Benicia  the  duties  of  the  office  are 
absolutely  onerous.  From  one  to  two  vessels  a  year  en- 
ter that  port  with  coals  from  Cardiff,  which  are  deposited 
at  the  dep6t  of  the  Pacific  Steam-ship  Company.  Upon 
these  coals  the  duties  have  to  be  computed  and  accounts 
rendered  to  the  Department,  besides  which  he  is  com- 
pelled to  keep  an  accurate  account  of  his  own  salary. 
For  all  this  he  is  only  allowed  the  occasional  services  of 
one  inspector,  whereas  he  ought  to  be  allowed  three.  If 
they  were  gentlemen  of  a  lively  temperament,  they  would 
at  least  give  something  of  vitality  to  the  present  deserted 
appearance  of  the  port.  I  have  known  a  smaller  number 
than  that  to  produce  a  considerable  sensation  in  the  pub- 
lic streets  of  other  cities.  A  great  deal  of  trouble  to  the 
Benicia  collector  might  be  saved  if  the  two  Cardiff  ves- 
sels per  annum  were  permitted  to  enter  at  San  Francisco 
on  their  way  up. 

"At  Sacramento  the  duties  of  the  collector  are  still 
more  arduous.  Indeed,  it  is  a  matter  of  surprise  that  any 
man  can  be  found  to  undertake  them  at  three  thousand 
dollars  a  year.  A  vessel  with  foreign  goods  entered  this 
port  in  1849,  since  which  period  some  six  or  eight  con- 
secutive collectors  have  been  anxiously  awaiting  the  ar- 
rival of  another.  The  most  remarkable  part  of  it  is,  that 
the  other  vessel  has  never  yet  arrived.    Upon  a  review 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES. 


259 


of  the  facts,  I  think  that  any  person  of  a  less  sanguine 
temperament  than  a  collector  of  customs  would  have  long 
since  given  up  the  hope  of  obtaining  any  public  revenue 
from  this  source.  Somehow  all  the  vessels  have  a  habit 
of  stopping  at  San  Francisco,  paying  duties  there,  dis- 
charging their  cargoes  for  interior  transportation,  and 
going  about  their  business,  which  must  be  a  constant 
subject  of  mortification  to  the  Sacramento  collectors.  I 
have  known  respectable  gentlemen  who  occupied  this 
position  to  be  denied  over  twenty-five  dollars  a  month 
for  office-rent,  after  it  had  ranged  for  years  at  two  or 
three  hundred — even  denied  the  services  of  a  deputy  or 
clerk,  and  actually  compelled  to  make  out  their  own  pay 
accounts ! 

"And  yet  these  officers  are  required  to  attend  at  pri- 
mary meetings,  conventions,  and  legislative  assemblages, 
and  keep  the  party  all  right,  when  there  may  be  a  com- 
plication of  difficulties  between  the  various  aspirants  for 
the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  utterly  impossible  to  set- 
tle except  by  electing  them  all. 

"  At  Stockton  the  case  is  still  harder.  I  never  knew  a 
collector  there  to  have  any  thing  at  all  to  do,  except  to 
keep  the  run  of  his  office-rent  and  salary,  which,  injustice 
it  must  be  said,  is  a  branch  of  public  duty  always  faith- 
fully performed.  Yet  this  officer  is  expected  to  pass  the 
time  agreeably  year  after  year  on  a  miserable  pittance  of 
three  thousand  dollars,  without  even  the  hope  of  ever  see- 
ing a  dutiable  cargo  landed  upon  the  wharves  of  the  city. 
I  do  not  believe  that  the  most  sanguine  gentleman  that 
ever  held  that  position  aspired  to  any  thing  of  greater 
commercial  value  than  a  flock  of  sheep  supposed  to  be 
on  the  way  from  Mexico,  and  for  the  capture  and  confis- 
cation of  which  two  inspectors  were  for  many  years  sta- 
tioned at  the  Tejon  Pass,  about  three  hundred  miles  from 
Stockton.  But  even  the  hope  of  seizing  these  sheep  or 
their  descendants  has  been  blasted  since  Congress  abol- 
ished the  duties  on  stock ;  and  now  the  collector,  to  pro- 
tect the  revenue,  must  fail  unless  he  succeeds  in  getting 


260 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


hold  of  a  box  of  contraband  articles  that  it  is  supposed 
certain  parties  in  San  Francisco  are  awaiting  an  oppor- 
tunity to  send  up,  either  by  the  steam  navigation  line  or 
some  of  the  small  sailing  craft  that  ply  on  this  route.  As 
this  box  of  goods  has  been  expected  ever  since  1852,  the 
prospect  of  its  appearance  and  seizure  is  becoming  more 
favorable  every  year.  If  there  was  a  surveyor  stationed 
at  the  mouth  of  the  San  Joaquin — say  in  the  city  called 
c  the  New  York  of  the  Pacific' — the  chances  of  seizure 
would  be  greatly  augmented.  There  is  a  surveyor  of 
customs  at  Nisquelly,  in  the  Territory  of  Washington, 
and  another  at  Santa  Barbara,  who  might  render  some 
aid  by  the  transmission  of  secret  information.  I  do  not 
know  what  has  become  of  the  surveyor  at  Pacific  City, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia.  The  last  time  I  saw 
him  he  was  engaged  in  the  performance  of  his  official 
functions  in  the  tin  business  at  Oregon  City,  the  City  of 
Pacific  having  been  discontinued  about  two  years  previ- 
ously in  consequence  of  a  lack  of  inhabitants. 

"  At  Monterey  the  amount  of  hardship  endured  by  the 
collector  is  absolutely  incredible.  Not  only  is  he  fur- 
nished with  an  indifferent  government  house  to  live  in, 
which  costs  an  annual  outlay  of  several  hundred  dollars 
to  keep  it  from  falling  to  pieces,  and  thereby  crushing 
himself  and  assistants  beneath  the  ruins,  but  he  is  required 
to  look  after  two  inspectors,  who  are  appointed  to  aid  him 
in  protecting  the  coast  from  the  nefarious  operations  of 
smugglers.  Besides  this,  it  is  supposed  that  a  mysterious 
vessel  has  been  hovering  around  the  Bay  of  Monterey 
ever  since  3  852,  with  an  assorted  cargo  of  bar  fixtures, 
billiard  balls,  whisky,  nine-pins,  cards,  cotton  handker- 
chiefs, boots,  bowie-knives,  and  revolvers,  upon  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  which  duties  have  never  been  paid.  This 
vessel  is  no  doubt  awaiting  an  opportunity  to  land  these 
articles  in  violation  of  law,  and  to  the  great  detriment  of 
public  morals  and  serious  loss  to  the  treasury.  The  col- 
lector is  expected  to  be  present  or  within  reach  of  a  tel- 
egraphic dispatch  whenever  she  makes  her  appearance ; 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES. 


261 


and  it  is  further  expected  that  he  will  not  flinch  from 
his  duty  even  should  she  prove  to  be  the  Flying  Dutch- 
man or  the  Wizard  of  the  Seas. 

"At  San  Pedro  the  coasting  steamer  Senator  touches  for 
grapes  and  passengers  some  half  a  dozen  times  a  month, 
and  the  collector  is  expected  to  keep  a  record  of  that 
vessel's  arrivals  and  departures ;  also  the  range  of  Cap- 
tain Banning7  s  paddle-wheeled  steam  skiff  Medora,  six 
scows,  and  several  fishing  smacks.  In  addition  to  these 
onerous  duties,  it  devolves  upon  him  to  keep  his  own  pay 
account,  and  see  that  the  light  does  not  stop  burniug  of 
nights  in  the  public  light-house  on  Point  Conception, 
without  any  money  to  pay  the  keeper  and  assistant  ex- 
cept such  casual  remittances  as  may  be  made  once  or 
twice  in  the  course  of  as  many  years.  I  knew  one  light- 
house keeper  who  stood  by  the  light  manfully  for  a  whole, 
year,  and  finally  had  to  sell  his  chance  of  pay  for  the 
means  of  subsistence.  Some  of  the  light-house  keepers, 
indeed,  are  supposed  to  live  on  whale-oil,  the  Board  in 
Washington  being  evidently  under  the  impression  that 
oil  is  a  light  article  of  diet,  upon  which  men  will  not  be 
apt  to  go  to  sleep.  Another  reason,  perhaps,  for  the  re- 
missness with  which  their  salaries  generally  arrive  is  that 
their  stations  are  generally  not  densely  populated  with 
voters,  or,  in  fact,  with  any  thing  but  sheep  and  rabbits. 
I  have  a  person  in  my  eye  w7hom  I  would  like  to  recom- 
mend for  the  collectorship  at  San  Pedro  whenever  the 
present  incumbent  may  think  proper  to  resign.  By  the 
way,  the  latter  is  a  very  clever  and  estimable  gentleman, 
to  whom  I  intend  not  the  slightest  disrespect  in  thus  re- 
ferring to  his  office ;  but  there  are  peculiar  qualifications 
for  every  position  in  life,  and  the  individual  to  whom  I 
refer  possesses  some  very  remarkable  advantages  over 
the  generality  of  custom-house  officers ;  that  is  to  say, 
he  can  sleep  on  his  desk  in  the  midst  of  the  direst  con- 
fusion ;  is  never  known  to  be  in  a  hurry  ;  thinks  no  more 
of  time  than  he  does  of  eternity,  or  any  thing  else ;  and 
invariably  postpones  till  to-morrow  what  most  people 


262 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


would  deem  of  vital  importance  to  be  done  to-day.  His 
work  is  generally  in  arrears,  but  will  be  all  right— poco 
tiempo  ! 

"  At  San  Diego  the  same  burdensome  and  oppressive 
state  of  things  exists.  The  Custom-house  is  an  old  mil- 
itary building,  with  a  roof  that  falls  to  pieces  every  win- 
ter, and  a  set  of  doors  and  windows  through  which  both 
wind  and  rain  have  free  access.  The  only  article  of  pub- 
lic property  about  the  premises  that  yet  sticks  together 
is  a  tremendous  iron  safe,  in  which  the  revenue  is  going 
to  be  kept — as  soon  as  it  is  collected.  Even  this  is  get- 
ting rusty  for  want  of  use.  The  books  have  an  ancient 
and  fish-like  aspect;  and  a  public  shovel,  that  is  used  to 
clear  the  mud  away  from  the  door  whenever  a  vessel  is 
seen  in  the  offing,  is  going  away  year  after  year,  and  will 
eventually  be  reduced  to  a  broken  handle.  This  office  is 
accessible  by  means  of  a  boat,  though  in  bad  weather  the 
deputy  prefers  to  reside  in  an  old  hulk  that  lies  at  anchor 
in  the  bay.  The  building  is  eligibly  located  in  a  chap- 
paral  of  prickly  pears,  within  about  five  miles  of  Old 
Town,  or,  properly  speaking,  the  beautiful  city  of  San 
Diego.  Mexican  stock  were  formerly  imported  into  this 
district,  but,  having  been  made  free  by  act  of  Congress, 
the  collector  is  left  destitute  of  occupation,  and  is  com- 
pelled to  seek  business  and  society  in  various  parts  of 
the  state.  Now  and  then,  however,  he  is  supposed  to 
take  a  look  at  his  pay  account,  and  see  that  the  public 
light  on  the  Point  keeps  burning  of  nights,  notwithstand- 
ing the  roof  has  been  blown  off.  As  government  refuses 
to  furnish  him  with  rain-water  to  drink,  he  is  compelled, 
whenever  his  official  duties  call  him  to  the  port  of  entry, 
to  hitch  up  his  buggy  and  travel  five  miles  to  the  city  of 
San  Diego  every  time  he  is  thirsty.  Indeed,  so  parsimo- 
nious is  the  Department  becoming  of  late,  that  it  will  not 
even  allow  him  a  deputy  or  clerk  at  public  expense,  al- 
though there  has  been  one  there  for  years.  I  look  upon 
this  as  a  very  severe  course  of  discipline  to  impose  upon 
any  gentleman  whose  services  are  presumed  to  be  worth 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES. 


263 


three  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  and  would  recommend 
that  he  should  at  least  be  allowed  a  bottle  of  whisky. 

"  All  these  are  examples  of  the  manner  in  which  exec- 
utive patronage  may  be  enlarged  without  inconvenience 
to  commerce  or  obstruction  to  navigation.  If  it  were 
not  for  the  collectorships,  what  would  the  delegation  in 
Congress  have  to  make  up  the  complement  of  their  in- 
debtedness to  partisan  politicians  ?  and  if  one  delegation 
were  denied  this  privilege,  how  could  accounts  be  settled 
with  fellow-members  similarly  situated  in  other  states? 
An  inspector  of  customs,  at  a  compensation  of  five  hund- 
red dollars  a  year  (for  there  is  nothing  to  do),  would  of 
course  answer  the  requirements  of  commerce  at  any  of 
these  ports ;  but  then  what  sort  of  an  office  would  that 
be  to  offer  to  the  owner  of  one  or  more  members  of  the 
Legislature  ?  It  would  be  especially  severe  at  Bear  Har- 
bor, where  there  will  be  no  coffee-houses,  billiard  saloons, 
or  other  places  of  amusement  for  some  time. 

"  In  view  of  these  suggestions  being  urged  upon  Con- 
gress by  the  heads  of  the  departments,  I  would  mention 
that,  in  the  temporary  absence  of  government  buildings 
at  Bear  Harbor,  a  number  of  chapadens,  or  brush  tents, 
at  present  occupied  by  Indians,  can  be  leased  for  a  term 
of  years  at  a  rate  of  rent  not  exceeding  from  five  hund- 
red to  a  thousand  dollars  each  per  month.  The  very 
best  of  them  can  be  had  for  less  than  the  rent  paid  for 
the  Union  Street  Bonded  Warehouse  in  San  Francisco, 
toward  the  building  of  which  government  loaned  seven- 
ty-two thousand  dollars  as  an  advance  of  rent,  and  paid, 
by  way  of  interest  on  the  capital,  for  four  years,  two 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  thousand  dollars  ;  after  which, 
upon  the  united  representation  of  twenty  influential  mer- 
chants, a  collector  and  deputy  collector  of  customs,  and 
a  special  agent,  that  the  premises  were  only  worth  about 
fourteen  thousand  per  annum,  it  paid  one  hundred  and 
ten  thousand  more  to  abrogate  the  contract,  and  as  a 
solemn  warning  to  all  private  individuals  and  public  offi- 
cers not  to  attempt  such  a  speculation  as  that  again.  The 


264 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


chapaden  of  the  chief  digger,  To-no-wauka,  could  be  pur- 
chased in  fee  simple  for  less  than  twenty-eight  thousand 
dollars,  which  was  the  exact  amount  annually  expended 
for  the  rent  of  the  United  States  Court-rooms  at  San 
Francisco  until  my  friend  Yorick,  the  government  agent, 
reduced  it  to  ten  thousand,  after  which,  of  course,  he  was 
removed. 

"  As  an  additional  protection  to  the  revenue,  I  would 
suggest  that  a  revenue  cutter  be  stationed  at  Bear  Har- 
bor, modeled  after  the  fashion  of  a  large  wash-tub,  which 
would  be  but  a  slight  improvement  upon  the  sailing  ca- 
pacity of  the  three  cutters  now  stationed  on  the  Pacific 
coast.  The  masts  might  be  constructed  out  of  large  tin 
dippers  inverted,  in  the  bowls  of  which  marines  could  be 
stationed  to  keep  a  look-out  for  smugglers.  Spare  blank- 
ets would  answer  for  the  sails,  and  a  large  carving-knife 
run  out  at  the  stern  would  serve  admirably  to  steer  by. 
In  order  that  there  might  be  no  danger  of  missing  the 
way  during  dark  nights  from  any  variation  in  the  com- 
pass, it  would  be  well,  perhaps,  to  abandon  the  com- 
pass altogether,  and  send  a  boat  ahead  with  a  light,  to 
point  out  where  the  rocks  and  smugglers  might  be  found. 
There  being  no  vessels  to  catch  at  Bear  Harbor,  no  in- 
convenience would  result  from  the  fact  that  such  a  cut- 
ter would  be  as  well  calculated  to  lie  at  anchor  as  the 
cutter  Marcy  at  San  Francisco,  which  has  been  known 
to  pursue  several  vessels  for  infractions  of  the  revenue 
laws,  but  never  to  catch  any  of  them.  I  attribute  this 
not  to  any  want  of  zeal  on  the  part  of  the  officers,  but 
partly  to  the  superior  speed  of  the  runaway  vessels,  and 
partly  to  the  fact  that  the  Marcy  is  obliged  to  lie  at  an- 
chor for  six  months  in  the  year  in  the  Bay  of  San  Fran- 
cisco for  want  of  other  occupation.  The  remaining  six 
months  she  necessarily  spends  in  the  Straits  of  Carquinas, 
near  Benicia,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  barnacles  that  ac- 
cumulate on  her  bottom  during  the  term  of  her  sedenta- 
ry career  below. 

"If  exception  should  be  taken  to  this  precedent  on 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES.  265 

the  ground  that  a  revenue  cutter  may  sometimes  really 
be  wanted  at  a  port  of  entry  where  there  is  some  com- 
merce, surely  none  will  be  taken  to  the  cutter  Lane,  sta- 
tioned within  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River.  For 
the  officers  of  this  cutter  I  entertain  the  most  sincere  re- 
spect ;  but  if  she  has  ever  been  known  to  chase  any  thing 
larger  than  wild  ducks,  the  fact  must  have  been  hushed 
up  from  motives  of  public  policy.  It  has  certainly  not 
been  a  matter  of  general  comment.  About  one  vessel 
with  dutiable  merchandise  enters  the  Columbia  in  the 
course  of  half  a  dozen  years,  and  certainly  all  sailing  ves- 
sels have  difficulty  enough  in  getting  in,  without  attempt- 
ing to  run  away  after  they  come  to  an  anchor.  Indeed, 
I  don't  know  where  they  would  run  to  unless  it  might 
be  over  the  Cascades,  and  through  the  Dalles  to  Walla 
Walla,  or  up  to  Oregon  City  on  the  Willamette  River, 
where  the  flour-mills  of  Abernethy  &  Co.  would  soon 
grind  them  to  pieces.  To  suppose  that  they  would  un- 
dertake to  run  away  before  they  get  over  the  bar  is  to 
suppose  that  they  might  just  as  well  stay  away  altogeth- 
er, and  thereby  avoid  the  risk  of  shipwreck  in  addition 
to  the  remote  possibility  of  being  captured  by  a  revenue 
cutter.  The  officers  condemned  to  this  station  have  my 
most  ardent  sympathies.  It  generally  rains  at  Astoria 
between  two  and  three  hundred  days  every  year,  the 
consequence  of  which  is,  that  the  whole  country  and  ev- 
ery thing  in  it  has  a  mildewed  appearance.  Already  I 
can  fancy  that  barnacles  are  growing  on  the  beards  of 
these  gentlemen ;  that  their  skin  is  becoming  slippery 
and  green  ;  their  eyes  sharkish  in  expression,  from  a  con- 
stant habit  of  looking  out  for  smugglers  that  never  can 
be  within  five  hundred  miles ;  that  the  habit  of  pulling 
ashore  in  the  boats  and  back  again  ;  4  making  it  so'  when 
four  and  eight  bells  are  announced  ;  looking  up  at  the 
mast-head  and  then  down  again  ;  going  below  and  read- 
ing the  same  old  newspaper,  and  coming  up  again  ;  turn- 
ing in  and  taking  a  nap,  and  turning  out  when  the  nap  is 
ended  ;  exercising  their  quadrants  by  an  occasional  peep 

M 


266 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


at  the  heavenly  bodies ;  eating  three  scanty  and  melan- 
choly meals  a  day ;  doing  all  this  and  never  doing  any 
thing  else,  unless  it  may  be  to  superintend  the  patching 
of  an  old  sail  which  has  rotted  to  pieces,  or  the  splicing 
of  an  old  rope  to  keep  the  blocks  from  falling  down  on 
their  heads,  will  eventually  so  wear  upon  their  mental 
and  physical  resources  as  to  drive  them  all  mad.  Should 
it  ever  be  the  misfortune  of  any  suspicious  character  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  these  gentlemen,  I  have  no  doubt 
he  will  have  reason  to  regret  it  during  the  brief  period 
of  his  existence  ;  for  they  will  certainly  cut  him  to  pieces 
with  their  swords,  or  blow  him  to  fragments  out  of  one 
of  the  public  guns,  on  the  general  principle  that,  being 
paid  for  doing  something,  they  ought  to  do  it  as  soon  as 
possible. 

"The  revenue  cutter  atPuget's  Sound,  familiarly  known 
as  the  'Jeff  Davis,'  finds  occasional  occupation  in  chasing 
porpoises  and  wild  Indians.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that 
but  little  revenue  has  yet  been  derived  from  either  of 
these  sources ;  but  should  she  persist  in  her  efforts,  there 
is  hope  that  at  no  distant  day  she  may  overhaul  a  canoe 
containing  a  keg  of  British  brandy — that  is  to  say,  in  case 
the  paddles  are  lost,  and  the  Indians  have  no  means  of 
propelling  it  out  of  the  way. 

"  These  vessels,  in  addition  to  their  original  cost,  which 
was  not  cheap  considering  their  quality  and  sailing  ca- 
pacity, require  an  expenditure  of  some  forty  or  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  a  year  for  repairs,  rigging,  pay  of  officers 
and  men,  subsistence,  etc.,  as  also  for  powder  to  enable 
the  officers  to  kill  ducks  and  salute  distinguished  people 
that  visit  these  remote  regions.  Now  and  then  they  run 
on  the  rocks  in  trying  to  find  their  way  from  one  anchor- 
age to  another,  in  which  event  they  require  extra  repairs. 
As  this  is  for  the  benefit  of  navigation,  it  should  not  be 
included  in  the  account.  They  generally  avoid  running 
on  the  same  rock,  and  endeavor  to  find  out  a  new  one 
not  laid  down  upon  the  charts — unless,  perhaps,  by  some 
reckless  fly — in  order  that  other  vessels  may  enjoy  the 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES.  267 


advantage  of  additional  experience.  The  beauty  of  Bear 
Harbor  in  this  respect  is,  that  a  revenue  cutter  could  run 
on  a  new  rock  every  day  in  the  year,  so  that,  by  desig- 
nating its  exact  location  on  the  chart,  there  would  be 
three  hundred  and  sixty-five  rocks  per  annum  to  be  avoid- 
ed by  vessels  entering  the  harbor. 

"  Some  military  protection  would  probably  be  required 
there  for  several  years  to  come,  in  order  to  protect  the 
citizens  from  the  attacks  of  grizzly  bears.  I  would  sug- 
gest that  a  post  be  established  on  some  eligible  point, 
and  comfortable  quarters  erected  for  the  officers  and  sol- 
diers. While  these  quarters  are  in  progress  of  erection, 
it  might  be  well  to  station  a  large  rooster  in  the  top  of 
a  neighboring  tree  to  give  warning  of  the  approach  of 
the  enemy.  As  Rome  was  saved  in  one  way,  so  might 
Bear  Harbor  be  saved  in  another.  Should  it  become 
necessary  to  abandon  them,  the  citizens  will  no  doubt  be 
willing  to  purchase  them  at  public  auction. 

"I  do  not  know  what  the  military  quarters  at  Fort 
Miller  are  going  to  do,  but  the  last  time  I  saw  them  they 
looked  very  sorry  they  had  ever  been  built.  The  same 
may  be  said  of  the  quarters  at  Benicia,  Fort  Tejon,  and 
San  Diego,  which  goes  to  prove  the  transitory  character 
of  military  operations.  So  long  as  our  army  goes  about 
the  country  dropping  down  beautiful  little  cities,  we  in 
the  line  of  civil  life  can  certainly  have  no  objection.  As 
expense  is  no  object,  perhaps,  to  the  War  Department,  I 
would  suggest  that  there  is  a  very  rugged  point  of  rocks 
near  the  entrance  of  Bear  Harbor,  upon  which  a  friend 
of  mine  has  located  a  claim  that  he  is  willing  to  sell  for 
military  purposes  for  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  It  commands  a  fine  view  of  the  ocean, 
and  abounds  in  mussels  and  albicores  ;  besides  which,  it 
is  cheaper  and  uglier  than  Lime  Point  at  the  entrance  of 
the  Golden  Gate,  and  would  not  require  near  so  much 
writing  to  make  the  purchase  satisfactory  to  the  public. 

"For  a  few  years,  during  the  infancy  of  the  commu- 
nity, it  may  be  necessary  for  some  enterprising  citizen  to 


268  OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


borrow  from  government  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
at  six  per  cent,  per  annum,  in  consequence  of  the  high 
rates  of  interest  in  California.  There  will  be  no  difficulty 
in  doing  this,  I  apprehend,  if  he  have  influence  at  court. 
A  precedent  may  be  found  in  the  case  of  the  Folsom  es- 
tate, against  which  judgment  had  been  obtained,  and  an 
execution  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  marshal.  Private 
parties  found  it  to  their  advantage  to  step  in,  purchase 
a  portion  of  the  property,  pay  a  portion  of  the  debt,  and, 
upon  giving  satisfactory  security,  assume  the  remainder, 
amounting  to  a  hundred  thousand  dollars,  at  six  per  cent. 
It  may  be  a  little  irregular  to  favor  particular  parties  in 
this  way,  but  then  public  money  had  better  be  bringing 
six  per  cent,  than  lying  idle  in  the  treasury ;  and  besides, 
when  it  is  found  necessary  to  issue  treasury  notes  in  or- 
der to  carry  on  the  government,  they  bring  a  premium, 
and  there  is  a  gain  to  that  extent  over  the  ready  cash. 
If  all  the  public  money  was  loaned  out  at  six  per  cent., 
and  all  the  private  money  that  might  be  necessary  bor- 
rowed at  five,  of  course  the  financial  condition  of  the 
treasury  would  be  one  per  cent,  better  per  annum. 

"After  these  things  were  done,  and  the  business  of 
Bear  Harbor  placed  upon  a  permanent  footing,  private 
instructions  might  be  issued  to  the  collector  of  customs 
to  go  out  and  stump  the  state  in  behalf  of  the  great  prin- 
ciples of  national  economy.  Experience  would  enable 
him  to  stand  firmly  upon  the  broad  platform  of  public 
integrity;  and  when  he  addressed  the  multitude,  he  could 
dwell  feelingly  on  the  sublime  doctrine  of  earlier  days — 
'Millions  for  defense,  but  not  a  cent  for  tribute!'  He 
could  put  his  hand  upon  his  brow,  and  solemnly  declare 
that,  so  long  as  he  was  gifted  with  the  light  of  intellect 
to  comprehend  the  sound  doctrines  of  public  policy  be- 
queathed to  us  by  our  forefathers,  he  would  stand  by  the 
laws  and  the  Constitution.  He  could  put  his  hand  upon 
his  heart,  and  call  upon  the  people  to  witness  that  he,  for 
one,  had  ever  remained  true  to  first  principles.  He  could 
put  his  hand  upon  his  stomach,  and  avow,  from  the  bot- 


MY  OFFICIAL  EXPERIENCES.  ,  269 


torn  of  his  soul,  that  he  conscientiously  indorsed  the 
measures  of  the  prevailing  party.  He  could  put  his  hand 
upon  his  pocket,  and  affirm  in  all  sincerity  that  he  went 
heart  and  hand  with  the  reigning  powers  on  all  the  great 
questions  of  the  day.  And,  having  fully  delivered  him- 
self on  these  various  points,  he  could  wind  up  with  an 
anecdote  from  the  Schildburghers.  When  the  wise  men 
of  Schilda  undertook  to  build  their  grand  council-house, 
they  carried  down  on  their  backs  from  the  top  of  a  high 
hill  a  large  number  of  heavy  logs.  In  moving  the  last 
log,  it  fell  out  of  their  hands  and  rolled  to  the  bottom  of 
the  hill.  4  Don't  you  see,'  said  the  town  fool, '  if  you  had 
started  them  all  in  the  same  way,  they  would  have  rolled 
down  of  their  own  accord  ?'  which  they  admitted  was 
true,  and  accordingly  carried  all  the  logs  up  to  the  top 
of  the  hill  again,  and  then  rolled  them  down.  So,  if  the 
people  don't  like  this  party,  they  can  roll  in  another  just 
as  good.  Your  obedient  servant,  etci" 

In  my  next  chapter  of  experiences  I  propose  giving  a 
succinct  account  of  the  great  Port  Townsend  Controver- 
sy. This  cost  me  more  trouble  than  all  my  other  expe- 
riences together,  and  came  very  near  costing  me  my  life. 


270 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


II. 

THE  GREAT  PORT  TOWNSEND  CONTROVERSY, 
SHOWING  HOW  WHISKY  BUILT  A  CITY. 

Few  persons  who  have  visited  the  Pacific  coast  of  late 
years  are  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  the  city  of  Port  Town- 
send  is  eligibly  situated  on  Puget's  Sound,  near  the  Straits 
of  Fuca ;  and  none  who  have  seen  that  remarkable  city 
can  hesitate  a  moment  to  admit  that  it  is  a  commercial 
metropolis  without  parallel. 

Port  Town  send  is  indeed  a  remarkable  place.  I  am 
not  acquainted  with  quite  such  another  place  in  the  whole 
world.  It  certainly  possesses  natural  and  artificial  ad- 
vantages over  most  of  the  cities  known  in  the  Atlantic 
States  or  Europe.  In  front  there  is  an  extensive  water 
privilege,  embracing  the  various  ramifications  of  Puget's 
Sound.  Admiralty  Inlet  forms  an  outlet  for  the  exports 
of  the  country,  and  Hood's  Canal  is  an  excellent  place  for 
hoodwinking  the  revenue  officers.  On  the  rear,  extend- 
ing to  Dunganess  Point,  is  a  jungle  of  pine  and  matted 
brush,  through  which  neither  man  nor  beast  can  pene- 
trate without  considerable  effort.  This  will  always  be  a 
secure  place  of  retreat  in  case  of  an  invasion  from  a  war- 
canoe  manned  by  Northern  Indians.  With  regard  to  the 
town  itself,  it  is  singularly  picturesque  and  diversified. 
The  prevailing  style  of  architecture  is  a  mixed  order  of 
the  Gothic,  Doric,  Ionic,  and  Corinthian.  The  houses, 
of  which  there  must  be  at  least  twenty  in  the  city  and 
suburbs,  are  built  chiefly  of  pine  boards,  thatched  with 
shingles,  canvas,  and  wooden  slabs.  The  palace  and  out- 
buildings of  the  Duke  of  York  are  built  of  drift-wood 
from  the  saw-mills  of  Port  Ludlow,  and  are  eligibly  lo- 


THE  PORT  TOWNSEND  CONTROVERSY. 


271 


cated  near  the  wharf,  so  as  to  be  convenient  to  the  clams 
and  oysters,  and  afford  his  maids  of  honor  an  opportunity 
of  indulging  in  frequent  ablutions.  There  is  somewhat 
of  an  ancient  and  fish-like  odor  about  the  premises  of  his 
highness,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  his  chimneys 
smoke  horribly,  but  still  the  artistic  effect  is  very  fine  at 
a  distance.  The  streets  of  Port  Townsend  are  payed 
with  sand,  and  the  public  squares  are  curiously  ornament- 
ed with  dead  horses  and  the  bones  of  many  dead  cows, 
upon  the  beef  of  which  the  inhabitants  have  partially  sub- 
sisted since  the  foundation  of  the  city.  This,  of  course, 
gives  a  very  original  appearance  to  the  public  pleasure- 
grounds,  and  enables  strangers  to  know  when  they  arrive 
in  the  city,  by  reason  of  the  peculiar  odor,  so  that,  even 
admitting  the  absence  of  lamps,  no  person  can  fail  to  rec- 
ognize Port  Townsend  in  the  darkest  night.  When  it 
was  a  port  of  entry  under  the  laws  of  the  United  States, 
there  was  a  collector  of  customs  stationed  in  a  small 
shanty  on  the  principal  wharf,  whose  business  it  was  to 
look  out  for  smugglers,  and  pay  the  salary  of  an  inspect- 
or who  owns  some  sheep  on  San  Juan  Island,  and  holds 
joint  possession  of  that  disputed  territory  with  the  Brit- 
ish government.  The  collector  of  customs,  being  unable 
to  attend  to  the  many  important  duties  that  devolved 
upon  him  without  assistance,  was  allowed  two  boatmen, 
whose  duty  it  was  to  put  him  on  board  of  suspicious 
vessels  in  the  offing,  and  one  of  whom,  by  virtue  of  a 
special  commission,  was  ex-officio  deputy  collector,  and 
made  up  the  accounts  of  the  district. 

The  principal  luxuries  afforded  by  the  market  of  this 
delightful  sea-port  are  clams,  and  the  carcasses  of  dead 
whales  that  drift  ashore,  by  reason  of  eating  which  the 
inhabitants  have  clammy  skins,  and  are  given  to  much 
spouting  at  public  meetings.  The  prevailing  languages 
spoken  are  the  Clallam,  Chenook,  and  Skookum-Chuck, 
or  Strong  Water,  with  a  mixture  of  broken  English ;  and 
all  the  public  notices  are  written  on  shingles  with  burnt 
sticks,  and  nailed  up  over  the  door  of  the  town-hall.  A 


272 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


newspaper,  issued  here  once  every  six  months,  is  printed 
by  means  of  wooden  types  whittled  out  of  pine  knots  by 
the  Indians,  and  rubbed  against  the  bottom  of  the  edit- 
or's potato  pot.  The  cast-off  shirts  of  the  inhabitants 
answer  for  paper.  For  the  preservation  of  public  mor- 
als, a  jail  has  been  constructed  out  of  logs  that  drifted 
ashore  in  times  past,  in  which  noted  criminals  are  put  for 
safe  keeping.  The  first  and  last  prisoners  ever  incarcer- 
ated in  that  institution  were  eleven  Northern  Indians, 
who  were  suspected  of  the  murder  of  Colonel  Ehy  at 
Whidbey's  Island.  As  the  logs  are  laid  upon  sand  to 
make  the  foundation  secure,  the  Indians,  while  rooting 
for  clams  one  night,  happened  to  come  up  at  the  out- 
side of  the  jail,  and  finding  the  watchman,  who  had  been 
placed  there  by  the  citizens,  fast  asleep,  with  an  empty 
whisky  bottle  in  the  distance,  they  stole  his  blanket,  hat, 
boots,  and  pipe,  and  bade  an  affectionate  farewell  to  Port 
Townsend. 

The  municipal  affairs  of  the  city  are  managed  by  a 
mayor  and  six  councilmen,  who  are  elected  to  oflSce  in  a 
very  peculiar  manner.  On  the  day  of  election,  notice 
having  been  previously  given  on  the  town  shingles,  all 
the  candidates  for  corporate  honors  go  up  on  the  top  of 
the  hill  back  of  the  water-front,  and  play  at  pitch-penny 
and  quoits  till  a  certain  number  are  declared  eligible; 
after  which  all  the  eligible  candidates  are  required  to 
climb  a  greased  pole  in  the  centre  of  the  main  public 
square.  The  two  best  then  become  eligible  for  the  may- 
oralty, and  the  twelve  next  best  for  the  common  council. 
These  fourteen  candidates  then  get  on  the  roof  of  the 
town-hall  and  begin  to  yell  like  Indians.  Whoever  can 
yell  the  loudest  is  declared  mayor,  and  the  six  next  loud- 
est become  the  members  of  the  common  council  for  the 
ensuing  year. 

While  I  had  the  misfortune  to  be  in  public  employ 
(and  for  no  disreputable  act  that  I  can  now  remember), 
it  became  my  duty  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  the 
Indians  on  Puget's  Sound.    In  the  course  of  my  tour  I 


THE  PORT  TOWN  SEND  CONTROVERSY.  273 


visited  this  unique  city  for  the  purpose  of  having  a 
"  wa-wa"  with  the  Duke  of  York,  chief  of  the  Clallam 
tribe. 

The  principal  articles  of  commerce,  I  soon  discovered, 
were  whisky,  cotton  handkerchiefs,  tobacco,  and  cigars, 
and  the  principal  shops  were  devoted  to  billiards  and  the 
sale  of  grog.  I  was  introduced  by  the  Indian  Agent  to 
the  Duke,  who  inhabited  that  region,  and  still  disputed 
the  possession  of  the  place  with  the  white  settlers.  If 
the  settlers  paid  him  any  thing  for  the  land  upon  which 
they  built  their  shanties  it  must  have  been  in  whisky,  for 
the  Duke  was  lying  drunk  in  his  wigwam  at  the  time  of 
my  visit.  For  the  sake  of  morals,  I  regret  to  say  that 
he  had  two  wives,  ambitiously  named  "  Queen  Victoria" 
and  "Jenny  Lind ;"  and  for  the  good  repute  of  Indian 
ladies  of  rank,  it  grieves  me  to  add  that  the  Queen  and 
Jenny  were  also  very  tipsy,  if  not  quite  drunk,  when  I 
called  to  pay  my  respects. 

The  Duke  was  lying  on  a  rough  wooden  bedstead, 
with  a  bullock's  hide  stretched  over  it,  enjoying  his  ease 
with  the  ladies  of  his  household.  When  the  agent  in- 
formed him  that  a  Hyas  Tyee,  or  Big  Chief,  had  called 
to  see  him  with  a  message  from  the  Great  Chief  of  all 
the  Indians,  the  Duke  grunted  significantly,  as  much  as 
to  say  "  that's  all  right."  The  Queen,  who  sat  near  him 
in  the  bed,  gave  him  a  few  whacks  to  rouse  him  up,  and 
by  the  aid  of  Jenny  Lind  succeeded,  after  a  while,  in  get- 
ting him  in  an  upright  position.  His  costume  consisted 
of  a  red  shirt  and  nothing  else,  but  neither  of  the  royal 
ladies  seemed  at  all  put  out  by  the  scantiness  of  his  ward- 
robe. There  was  something  very  amiable  and  jolly  in 
the  face  of  the  old  Duke,  even  stupefied  as  he  was  by 
whisky.  He  shook  me  by  the  hand  in  a  friendly  manner, 
and,  patting  his  stomach,  remarked,  "  Duke  York  belly 
good  man !" 

Of  course  I  complimented  him  upon  his  general  repu- 
tation as  a  good  man,  and  proceeded  to  make  the  usual 
speech,  derived  from  the  official  formula,  about  the  Great 

M  2 


THE  PORT  TOWNSEND  CONTROVERSY.  275 


Chief  in  Washington,  whose  children  were  as  numerous 
as  the  leaves  on  the  trees  and  the  grass  on  the  plains. 

"  Oh,  dam !"  said  the  Duke,  impatiently ;  "  him  send 
any  whisky  ?" 

No ;  on  the  contrary,  the  Great  Chief  had  heard  with 
profound  regret  that  the  Indians  of  Puget's  Sound  were 
addicted  to  the  evil  practice  of  drinking  whisky,  and  it 
made  his  heart  bleed  to  learn  that  it  was  killing  them  off 
rapidly,  and  was  the  principal  cause  of  all  their  misery. 
It  was  very  cruel  and  very  wicked  for  white  men  to  sell 
whisky  to  the  Indians,  and  it  was  his  earnest  wish  that 
the  law  against  this  illicit  traffic  might  be  enforced  and 
the  offenders  punished. 

"  Oh,  dam !"  said  the  Duke,  turning  over  on  his  bed, 
and  contemptuously  waving  his  hand  in  termination  of 
the  interview — "  dis  Tyee  no  'count !" 

While  this  wa-wa,  or  grand  talk,  was  going  on,  the 
Queen  put  her  arms  affectionately  around  the  Duke's 
neck,  and  giggled  with  admiration  at  his  eloquence.  Jen- 
ny sat  a  little  at  one  side,  and  seemed  to  be  under  the 
combined  influence  of  whisky,  jealousy,  and  a  black  eye. 
I  was  subsequently  informed  that  the  Duke  was  in  the 
habit  of  beating  both  the  Queen  and  Jenny  for  their  re- 
peated quarrels,  and  when  unusually  drunk  was  not  par- 
ticular about  either  the  force  or  direction  of  his  blows. 
This  accounted  for  Jenny's  black  eye  and  bruised  feat- 
ures, and  for  the  alleged  absence  of  two  of  the  Queen's 
front  teeth,  which  it  was  said  were  knocked  out  in  a  re- 
cent brawl. 

Some  months  after  my  visit  to  Port  Townsend,  in  writ- 
ing a  report  on  the  Indians  of  Puget's  Sound,  I  took  oc- 
casion to  refer  to  the  salient  points  of  the  above  interview 
with  the  Duke  of  York,  and  to  make  a  few  remarks  touch- 
ing the  degraded  condition  of  himself  and  tribe,  attribu- 
ting it  to  the  illegal  practice  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  of 
selling  whisky  to  the  Indians.  I  stated  that  his  wigwam 
was  situated  between  two  whisky-shops,  and  that  the 
Clallam  s  would  soon  be  reduced  to  the  level  of  bad  white 


276 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


men  in  Port  Townsend,  "  which,  to  say  the  least  of  it, 
was  a  very  benighted  place."  The  report  was  printed 
by  order  of  Congress,  though  I  was  not  aware  of  that 
fact  till  one  day,  sitting  in  my  office  in  San  Francisco,  I 
received  a  copy  of  the  "Olympia  Democrat"  (if  I  remem- 
ber correctly),  containing  a  series  of  grave  charges  against 
me,  signed  by  the  principal  citizens  of  Port  Townsend. 
I  have  lost  the  original  documents,  but  shall  endeavor  to 
supply  the  deficiency  as  well  as  my  memory  serves.  The 
letter  was  addressed  to  the  "United  States  Special 
Agent,"  and  was  substantially  as  follows : 

"  Sir, — The  undersigned  have  read  your  official  report 
relative  to  the  Indians  of  Puget's  Sound,  and  regret  that 
you  have  deemed  it  necessary  to  step  so  far  aside  from 
the  line  of  your  duty  as  to  traduce  our  fair  name  and  rep- 
utation as  citizens  of  Port  Townsend.  You  will  pardon 
us  for  expressing  the  opinion  that  you  might  have  spent 
your  time  with  more  credit  to  yourself  and  benefit  to  the 
government. 

"  Sir,  it  may  be  that  on  the  occasion  of  your  visit  here 
the  Duke  of  York  and  his  wives  were  drunk;  but  the 
undersigned  are  satisfied,  upon  a  personal  examination, 
that  neither  Queen  Victoria  nor  Jenny  Lind  suffered  the 
loss  of  two  front  teeth,  as  you  state  in  your  report ;  and 
they  are  not  aware  that  Jenny  Lind's  eyes  were  ever 
blacked  by  the  Duke  of  York,  nor  do  they  believe  it,  al- 
though you  have  thought  proper  to  make  that  statement 
in  your  report. 

"The  undersigned  do  not  pretend  to  say  that  there  is" 
no  whisky  sold  in  Port  Townsend ;  but  they  deny,  sir, 
that  you  ever  saw  any  of  them  drunk,  or  that  the  citizens 
of  Port  Townsend,  as  a  class,  are  at  all  intemperate.  On 
the  contrary,  they  claim  to  be  as  orderly,  industrious,  and 
law-abiding  as  the  citizens  of  any  other  town  on  the  Pa- 
cific coast  or  elsewhere. 

"  Sir,  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  you  can  have  forgot- 
ten so  soon  the  marked  kindness  and  hospitality  wi.th 


THE  PORT  TOWNSEND  CONTROVERSY.  277 


which  you  were  treated  by  the  citizens  of  this  place  dur- 
ing your  sojourn  here;  and  now  the  return  you  make  is 
to  blacken  the  reputation  of  our  thriving  little  town,  and 
endeavor  to  destroy  our  future  prospects.  You  are,  of 
course,  at  liberty  to  choose  your  own  line  of  travel,  but 
if  ever  you  visit  Port  Townsend  again,  we  can  assure  you, 
sir,  you  will  enjoy  a  very  different  reception.  Had  you 
confined  your  misstatements  to  the  Indians,  we  might 
have  excused  it  on  the  ground  that  it  is  not  customary 
for  public  officers  to  adhere  strictly  to  facts  in  their  re- 
ports ;  but  when  you  go  entirely  out  of  your  way,  and 
commit  such  an  unprovoked  attack  upon  our  character, 
we  feel  bound  to  set  ourselves  right  before  the  world. 

"  In  charity,  we  can  only  suppose  that  you  have  been 
grossly  deceived  in  your  sources  of  information ;  yet, 
when  you  profess  to  have  witnessed  personally  the  evil 
effects  of  whisky  in  Port  Townsend,  and  go  so  far  as  to 
pronounce  it '  a  benighted  place,'  we  can  not  evade  the 
conclusion  that  you  must  have  had  some  experience  in 
what  you  say  you  witnessed ;  either  that,  or  you  delib- 
erately committed  a  base  slander  upon  the  citizens  of  this 
place.  Although  the  undersigned  consider  themselves 
included  in  yo'ur  sweeping  assertion,  it  can  not  have  es- 
caped your  memory,  sir,  that  on  the  occasion  of  your  vis- 
it to  Port  Townsend  you  found  them  engaged  in  their 
peaceful  avocations  as  useful  and  respectable  members 
of  society ;  and  they  positively  deny  that  any  of  them 
have  ever  sold  whisky  to  the  Indians,  or  committed  the 
crime  of  murder. 

"  Sir,  the  undersigned  have  made  inquiry  into  that  por- 
tion of  your  report  in  which  you  state  that  no  less  than 
six  murders  were  committed  here  during  the  past  year, 
and  can  only  find  that  two  were  committed,  and  neither 
of  them  by  citizens  of  this  place.  The  conclusion,  there- 
fore, to  which  the  undersigned  are  forced,  is,  that  you 
were  at  a  loss  for  something  to  say,  and  invented  at  least 
four  murders  for  the  purpose  of  contributing  to  the  in- 
terest of  your  report. 


278 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


"  Sir,  when  a  respectable  community  are  engaged  in 
trying  to  make  an  honest  living,  we  think  it  hardly  fair 
that  you,  as  a  government  agent,  should  come  among 
them,  and,  without  cause  or  provocation,  slander  their 
character  and  injure  their  reputation.  We  therefore  en- 
ter our  solemn  protest  against  the  unfounded  charges 
made  in  your  report,  and  respectfully  recommend  that 
in  future  you  confine  yourself  to  your  official  duties. 

"  (Signed),  J. Hodges,  B.  Punch,  T.  Thatcher,  B.  Fletch- 
er, Warren  Hastings,  ^Wm.  Pitt,  J.  Fox,  E.  Burke,  and 
eleven  others." 

Here  was  a  serious  business.  I  can  assure  the  reader 
that  the  sensations  experienced  in  the  perusal  of  such  a 
document,  when  addressed  to  one's  self  through  a  public 
newspaper,  and  signed  by  fifteen  or  twenty  responsible 
persons,  are  peculiar  and  by  no  means  agreeable.  For 
a  moment  I  really  began  to  think  I  was  a  very  bad  man, 
and  that  there  must  be  something  uncommonly  repre- 
hensible in  my  conduct. 

Upon  the  whole,  I  felt  that  I  was  a  little  in  fault,  and 
had  better  apologize.  There  was  no  particular  necessity 
for  introducing  Queen  Victoria's  front  teeth  and  Jenny 
Lind's  black  eye  to  Congress ;  and,  to  confess  the  truth, 
it  was  really  going  a  little  beyond  the  usual  limits  of  of- 
ficial etiquette  to  "ring  in"  a  public  town  possessing 
some  valuable  political  influence. 

I  therefore  prepared  and  published  in  the  newspapers 
an  Apology,  which  it  seemed  to  me  ought  to  be  satisfac- 
tory. The  following  is  as  close  a  copy  of  the  original  as 
I  can  now  write  out  from  memory : 

"San  Francisco,  Cal.,  April  1st,  1858. 
"  To  Messrs.  J.  Hodges,  B.  Punch,T.  Thatcher,  B.  Fletch- 
er, Warren  Hastings,  Wm.  Pitt,  J.  Fox,  E.  Burke, 
and  eleven  others,  citizens,  Port  Townsend,  W.  T. : 
"  Gentlemen, — I  have  read  with  surprise  and  regret 
your  letter  of  the  10th  ult.,  in  which  you  make  several 


THE  POET  TOWNSEND  CONTROVERSY.  279 


very  serious  charges  against  me  in  reference  to  certain 
statements  contained  in  my  report  on  the  Indians  of  Pu- 
get's  Sound.  Not  the  least  important  of  these  charges 
is  that  I  stepped  aside  from  the  line  of  my  duty  to  tra- 
duce your  fair  name  and  reputation  as  citizens  of  Port 
Townsend.  You  entertain  the  opinion  that  I  might  have 
been  better  employed  —  an  opinion  in  which  I  would 
cheerfully  concur  if  it  were  not  based  upon  erroneous 
premises.  •  I  have  not  the  slightest  recollection  of  hav- 
ing traduced  'your  fair  name  and  reputation,'  or  made 
any  reference  to  you  whatever  in  my  report.  When  I 
alluded  to  the  1  beach-combers,  rowdies,  and  other  bad 
characters'  in  Port  Townsend,  I  had  no  idea  that  respect- 
able gentlemen  like  yourselves  would  take  it  as  personal. 
Of  course,  as  none  of  you  ever  sold  whisky  to  the  In- 
dians or  committed  murder,  you  do  great  injustice  to 
your  own  reputation  in  supposing  that  the  public  at  large 
would  attribute  these  crimes  to  you  because  I  mentioned 
them  in  my  report. 

"  You  deny  positively  that  either  Queen  Victoria  or 
Jenny  Lind  had  her  front  teeth  knocked  out  by  the  Duke 
of  York.  Well,  I  take  that  back,  for  I  certainly  did  not 
examine  their  mouths  as  closely  as  you  seem  to  have 
done.  But  when  you  deny  that  Jenny  Lind's  eye  was 
black,  you  do  me  great  injustice.  I  shall  insist  upon  it 
to  the  latest  hour  of  my  existence  that  it  was  black — 
deeply,  darkly,  beautifully  black,  with  a  prismatic  circle 
of  pink,  blue,  and  yellow  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  I 
cheerfully  retract  the  teeth,  but,  gentlemen,  I  hold  on  to 
the  eye.  Depend  upon  it,  I  shall  stand  by  that  eye  as 
long  as  the  flag  of  freedom  waves  over  this  glorious  re- 
public !  You  will  admit,  at  all  events,  that  Jenny  had  a 
drop  in  her  eye. 

"  While  you  do  not  pretend  to  say  that  there  is  no 
whisky  sold  in  Port  Townsend,  you  do  insist  upon  it  that 
I  never  saw  any  of  you  drunk.  Of  course  not,  gentle- 
men. There  are  several  of  you  that  I  do  not  recollect 
having  ever  seen,  either  drunk  or  sober.    If  I  did  see 


280 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


any  of  you  under  the  influence  of  intoxicating  spirits,  the 
disguise  was  certainly  effectual,  for  I  am  now  entirely 
unable  to  say  which  of  you  it  was.  Besides,  I  never  said 
I  saw  any  of  you  drunk.  It  requires  a  great  deal  of 
whisky  to  intoxicate  some  people,  and  I  should  be  sorry 
to  hazard  a  conjecture  as  to  the  gauge  of  any  citizen  of 
Port  Townsend.  I  do  not  believe  you  habitually  drink 
whisky  as  a  beverage — certainly  not  Port  Townsend 
whisky,  for  that  would  kill  the  strongest  man  that  ever 
lived  in  less  than  six  months,  if  he  drank  nothing  else. 
Many  of  you,  no  doubt,  use  tea  or  coffee  at  breakfast, 
and  it  is  quite  possible  that  some  of  you  occasionally  ven- 
ture upon  water. 

"  Gentlemen,  you  were  pleased  to  call  my  attention  to 
certain  custom-house  claims,  Indian  claims,  and  pre-emp- 
tion claims  when  I  was  at  Port  Townsend  ;  but  when 
you  '  claim  to  be  as  orderly,  industrious,  and  law-abiding 
as  the  citizens  of  any  other  town  on  the  Pacific  coast  or 
elsewhere,'  you  go  altogether  beyond  my  official  juris- 
diction. I  think  you  had  better  send  that  claim  to  Con- 
gress. 

"  That  '  it  is  not  customary  for  public  officers  to  ad- 
here strictly  to  facts  for  their  reports'  is  a  melancholy 
truth.  You  have  me  there,  gentlemen.  Truth  is  very 
scarce  in  official  documents.  It  is  not  expected  by  the 
public,  and  it  would  be  utterly  thrown  away  upon  Con- 
gress. Besides,  the  truth  is  the  last  thing  that  would 
serve  your  purpose  as  claimants  for  public  money. 

"You  are  charitable  enough  to  suppose  that  I  may 
have  been  grossly  deceived  in  my  sources  of  informa- 
tion. Well,  you  ought  to  know  all  about  that,  for  I  got 
most  of  the  information  from  yourselves.  As  to  my  re- 
mark that  Port  Townsend  is  1  a  benighted  place,'  I  am 
astonished  that  you  did  not  see  into  the  true  meaning  of 
that  expression.  It  was  merely  a  jocular  allusion  to  the 
absence  of  lamps  in  the  public  streets  at  night. 

"You  do  not  think  it  can  possibly  have  escaped  my 
memory  that  I  found  you  engaged  in  your  peaceful  avo- 


THE  PORT  TOWN  SEND  CONTROVERSY.  281 


cations  as  useful  and  respectable  members  of  society  on 
the  occasion  of  my  visit  to  Port  Townsend.  Now,  upon 
my  honor,  I  can  not  remember  who  it  was  particularly 
that  I  saw  engaged  in  peaceful  avocations,  but  I  cer- 
tainly saw  a  good  many  white  men  lying  about  in  sunny 
places  fast  asleep,  and  a  good  many  more  sitting  on  logs 
of  wood  whittling  small  sticks,  and  apparently  waiting  for 
somebody  to  invite  them  into  the  nearest  saloon ;  oth- 
ers I  saw  playing  billiards,  and  some  few  standing  about' 
the  corners  of  the  streets,  waiting  for  the  houses  to  grow 
— all  of  which  were  unquestionably  peaceful,  if  not  strict- 
ly useful  avocations.  I  have  no  recollection  of  having 
seen  any  person  engaged  in  the  performance  of  any  la- 
bor calculated  to  strain  his  vertebrae. 

"The  result  of  your  inquiries  on  the  subject  of  mur- 
der appears  to  be  that  only  two  murders  were  commit- 
ted in  Port  Townsend  during  the  past  year,  instead  of 
six,  as  stated  in  my  report.  Well,  gentlemen,  I  was  not 
present,  and  did  not  participate  in  any  of  these  alleged 
murders,  and  cheerfully  admit  that  your  sheriff,  who 
gave  me  the  information,  and  whose  name  is  appended 
to  your  letter,  may  not  have  counted  them  accurately. 
At  all  events,  I  take  four  of  them  back,  and  place  them 
to  the  credit  of  Port  Townsend  for  the  ensuing  year.  I 
utterly  disclaim  having  invented  them,  though  I  would 
at  any  time  much  rather  invent  four  murders  than  com- 
mit one.  Nor  can  I  admit  that  I  was  at  a  loss  for  some- 
thing to  say.  There  was  abundance  of  fictitious  mate- 
rial presented  in  the  course  of  my  official  investigations, 
without  rendering  it  at  all  necessary  for  me  to  resort  to 
imaginary  murders.  And  I  farther  insist  upon  it  that, 
if  I  did  not  personally  witness  the  violent  death  of  six 
men  in  Port  Townsend,  I  heard  the  king's  English  most 
cruelly  murdered  there  on  at  least  six  different  occasions. 
Gentlemen,  you  need  not  take  any  farther  trouble  about 
*  setting  yourselves  right  before  the  world.'  I  trust  you 
will  admit  that  you  are  all  right  now,  since  I  have  duly 
made  the  amende  honorable. 


282 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


"  Wishing  you  success  in  your  '  peaceful  avocations,' 
and  exemption  from  all  future  anxiety  relative  to  the 
price  of  lots  in  Port  Townsend,  I  remain,  very  respect- 
fully, your  obedient  servant,"  etc. 

Strange  to  say,  so  far  from  being  satisfied  with  this 
apology,  the  citizens  of  Port  Townsend  were  enraged  to 
a  degree  bordering  on  insanity.  The  mayor,  upon  the 
reception  of  the  mail  containing  the  fatal  document,  call- 
ed the  Town  Council  together,  and  the  schoolmaster  read 
it  to  the  Town  Council,  and  the  Town  Council  deliber- 
ated over  it  for  three  days,  and  then  unanimously  re- 
solved that  the  author  was  a  "Vile  Kalumater,  unworthy 
of  further  Atension,  and  had  beter  stere  cleer  of  Port 
Townsend  for  the  Future!"  For  two  years  they  did 
nothing  else,  in  an  official  point  of  view,  but  write  letters 
to  the  San  Francisco  papers  denouncing  the  author  of 
this  Vile  Kalumy,  and  assuring  the  public  that  his  de- 
scription of  Port  Townsend  was  wholly  unworthy  of 
credit;  that  Port  Townsend  was  the  neatest,  cleanest, 
most  orderly,  and  most  flourishing  little  town  on  the  Pa- 
cific coast.  By  the  time  the  Frazer  River  excitement 
broke  out,  the  people  of  California  were  well  acquainted, 
through  the  newspapers,  with  at  least  one  town  on  Pu- 
get's  Sound.  If  they  knew  nothing  of  Whatcomb,  Squill- 
Chuck,  and  other  rival  places  that  aspired  to  popular  fa- 
vor, they  were  no  strangers  to  the  reputation  of  Port 
Townsend.  Thousands,  who  had  no  particular  business 
there,  went  to  take  a  look  at  this  wonderful  town,  which 
had  given  rise  to  so  much  controversy.  The  citizens 
were  soon  forced  to  build  a  fine  hotel.  Many  visitors 
liked  the  society,  and  concluded  to  remain.  Others 
thought  it  would  soon  be  the  great  centre  of  commerce 
for  all  the  shipping  that  would  be  drawn  thither  by  the 
mineral  wealth  of  Frazer  River,  and  bought  city  lots  on 
speculation.  Traders  came  there  and  set  up  stores ;  new 
whisky  saloons  were  built;  customers  crowded  in  from 
all  parts ;  in  short,  it  became  a  gay  and  dashing  sort  of 


THE  PORT  TOWNSEND  CONTROVERSY.  283 


place,  and  very  soon  had  quite  the  appearance  of  a  city. 
When  the  Frazer  River  bubble  burst,  nobody  was  killed 
at  Port  Townsend,  because  it  had  a  strong  reputation, 
and  could  still  persuade  people  that  it  was  bound  to  be 
a  great  city  at  some  future  period. 

During  the  following  year  I  made  bold  to  pay  my  old 
friends  a  visit.  A  delegation  of  the  Common  Council 
met  me  on  the  wharf.  There  were  no  hacks  yet  intro- 
duced, but  any  number  of  horses  were  placed  at  my  dis- 
posal. The  greeting  was  cordial  and  impressive.  A 
most  complimentary  address  was  read  to  me  by  the 
mayor  of  the  city,  in  which  it  was  fully  and  frankly  ac- 
knowledged that  I  was  the  means  of  building  up  the 
fortunes  of  Port  Townsend.  After  the  address,  the  cit- 
izens with  one  accord  rushed  to  me,  and,  grasping  me 
warmly  by  the  hand,  at  once  retracted  their  injurious 
imputations.  These  gratifying  public  demonstrations 
over,  we  adjourned  to  the  nearest  saloon,  and  buried  the 
hatchet  forever  in  an  ocean  of  the  best  Port  Townsend 
whisky.  It  is  due  to  the  citizens  to  say  that  not  one  of 
them  went  beyond  reasonable  bounds  on  this  joyous  oc- 
casion, by  which  I  do  not  mean  to  intimate  that  they 
were  accustomed  to  the  beverage  referred  to.  At  all 
events,  I  think  it  has  been  clearly  demonstrated  by  these 
authentic  documents  that  "  whisky  built  a  great  city." 


284 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


III. 

THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA, 

When  the  State  of  California  was  admitted  into  the 
Union,  the  number  of  Indians  within  its  borders  was 
estimated  at  one  hundred  thousand.  Of  these,  some  five 
or  six  thousand,  residing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Missions, 
were  partially  civilized,  and  subsisted  chiefly  by  begging 
and  stealing.  A  few  of  the  better  class  contrived  to 
avoid  starvation  by  casual  labor  in  the  vineyards  and  on 
the  farms  of  the  settlers.  They  were  very  poor  and  very 
corrupt,  given  to  gambling,  drinking,  and  other  vices 
prevailing  among  white  men,  and  to  which  Indians  have 
a  natural  inclination.  As  the  country  became  more  set- 
tled, it  was  considered  profitable,  owing  to  the  high  rate 
of  compensation  for  white  labor,  to  encourage  these 
Christian  tribes  to  adopt  habits  of  industry,  and  they 
were  employed  very  generally  throughout  the  state.  In 
the  vine-growing  districts  they  were  usually  paid  in  na- 
tive brandy  every  Saturday  night,  put  in  jail  next  morn- 
ing for  getting  drunk,  and  bailed  out  on  Monday  to 
work  out  the  fine  imposed  upon  them  by  the  local  au- 
thorities. This  system  still  prevails  in  Los  Angeles, 
where  I  have  often  seen  a  dozen  of  these  miserable 
wretches  carried  to  jail  roaring  drunk  of  a  Sunday  morn- 
ing. The  inhabitants  of  Los  Angeles  are  a  moral  and 
intelligent  people,  and  many  of  them  disapprove  of  the 
custom  on  principle,  and  hope  it  will  be  abolished  as 
soon  as  the  Indians  are  all  killed  off.  Practically,  it  is 
not  a  bad  way  of  bettering  their  condition  ;  for  some  of 
them  die  every  week  from  the  effects  of  debauchery,  or 
kill  one  another  in  the  nocturnal  brawls  which  prevail  in 
the  outskirts  of  the  Pueblo. 


286 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


The  settlers  in  the  northern  portions  of  the  state  had 
a  still  more  effectual  method  of  encouraging  the  Indians 
to  adopt  habits  of  civilization.  In  general,  they  engaged 
them  at  a  fixed  rate  of  wages  to  cultivate  the  ground, 
and  during  the  season  of  labor  fed  them  on  beans,  and 
gave  them  a  blanket  or  a  shirt  each ;  after  which,  when 
the  harvest  was  secured,  the  account  was  considered 
squared,  and  the  Indians  were  driven  off  to  forage  in  the 
woods  for  themselves  and  families  during  the  winter. 
Starvation  usually  wound  up  a  considerable  number  of 
the  old  and  decrepit  ones  every  season ;  and  of  those 
that  failed  to  perish  from  hunger  or  exposure,  some 
were  killed  on  the  general  principle  that  they  must  have 
subsisted  by  stealing  cattle,  for  it  was  well  known  that 
cattle  ranged  in  the  vicinity,  while  others  were  not  un- 
frequently  slaughtered  by  their  employers  for  helping 
themselves  to  the  refuse  portions  of  the  crop  which  had 
been  left  in  the  ground.  It  may  be  said  that  these  were 
exceptions  to  the  general  rule ;  but  if  ever  an  Indian 
was  fully  and  honestly  paid  for  his  labor  by  a  white  set- 
tler, it  was  not  my  luck  to  hear  of  it ;  certainly  it  could 
not  have  been  of  frequent  occurrence. 

The  wild  Indians  inhabiting  the  Coast  Range,  the  val- 
leys of  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin,  and  the  west- 
ern slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  became  troublesome  at 
a  very  early  period  after  the  discovery  of  the  gold  mines. 
It  was  found  convenient  to  take  possession  of  their  coun- 
try without  recompense,  rob  them  of  their  wives  and 
children,  kill  them  in  every  cowardly  and  barbarous 
manner  that  could  be  devised,  and  when  that  was  im- 
practicable, drive  them  as  far  as  possible  out  of  the  way. 
Such  treatment  was  not  consistent  with  their  rude  ideas 
of  justice.  At  best  they  were  an  ignorant  race  of  Dig- 
gers, wholly  unacquainted  with  our  enlightened  institu- 
tions. They  could  not  understand  why  they  should  be 
murdered,  robbed,  and  hunted  down  in  this  way,  with- 
out any  other  pretense  of  provocation  than  the  color  of 
their  skin  and  the  habits  of  life  to  which  they  had  al- 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA.  287 


ways  been  accustomed.  In  the  traditionary  researches 
of  their  most  learned  sages  they  had  never  heard  of  the 
snakes  in  Ireland  that  were  exterminated  for  the  public 
benefit  by  the  great  and  good  St.  Patrick.  They  were 
utterly  ignorant  of  the  sublime  doctrine  of  General  Wel- 
fare. The  idea,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  never  occur- 
red to  them  that  they  were  suffering  for  the  great  cause 
of  civilization,  which,  in  the  natural  course  of  things, 
must  exterminate  Indians.  Actuated  by  base  motives 
of  resentment,  a  few  of  them  occasionally  rallied,  prefer- 
ring rather  to  die  than  submit  to  these  imaginary  wrongs. 
White  men  were  'killed  from  time  to  time ;  cattle  were 
driven  off;  horses  were  stolen,  and  various  other  iniqui- 
tous offenses  were  committed. 

The  federal  government,  as  is  usual  in  cases  where  the 
lives  of  valuable  voters  are  at  stake,  was  forced  to  inter- 
fere. Troops  were  sent  out  to  aid  the  settlers  in  slaugh- 
tering the  Indians.  By  means  of  mounted  howitzers, 
muskets,  Minie  rifles,  dragoon  pistols,  and  sabres,  a  good 
many  were  cut  to  pieces.  But,  on  the  whole,  the  gener- 
al policy  of  the  government  was  pacific.  It  was  not  de- 
signed to  kill  any  more  Indians  than  might  be  necessary 
to  secure  the  adhesion  of  the  honest  yeomanry  of  the 
state,  and  thus  furnish  an  example  of  the  practical  work- 
ing of  our  political  system  to  the  savages  of  the  forest, 
by  which  it  was  hoped  they  might  profit.  Congress 
took  the  matter  in  hand  at  an  early  day,  and  appropria- 
ted large  sums  of  money  for  the  purchase  of  cattle  and 
agricultural  implements.  From  the  wording  of  the  law, 
it  would  appear  that  these  useful  articles  were  designed 
for  the  relief  and  maintenance  of  the  Indians.  Commis- 
sioners were  appointed  at  handsome  salaries  to  treat 
with  them,  and  sub-agents  employed  to  superintend  the 
distribution  of  the  purchases.  In  virtue  of  this  munifi- 
cent policy,  treaties  were  made  in  which  the  various 
tribes  were  promised  a  great  many  valuable  presents, 
which  of  course  they  never  got.  There  was  no  reason 
to  suppose  they  ever  should ;  it  being  a  fixed  principle 


288 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


with  strong  powers  never  to  ratify  treaties  made  by 
their  own  agents  with  weaker  ones,  when  there  is  money 
to  pay  and  nothing  to  be  had  in  return. 

The  cattle  were  purchased,  however,  to  the  number 
of  many  thousands.  Here  arose  another  difficulty.  The 
honest  miners  must  have  something  to  eat,  and  what 
could  they  have  more  nourishing  than  fat  cattle  ?  Good 
beef  has  been  a  favorite  article  of  subsistence  with  men 
of  bone  and  muscle  ever  since  the  days  of  the  ancient 
Romans.  So  the  cattle,  or  the  greater  part  of  them, 
were  driven  up  to  the  mines,  and  sold  at  satisfactory 
rates — probably  for  the  benefit  of  the  Indians,  though  I 
never  could  understand  in  what  way  their  necessities 
were  relieved  by  this  speculation,  unless  it  might  be  that 
the  parties  interested  turned  over  to  them  the  funds 
received  for  the  cattle.  It  is  very  certain  they  contin- 
ued to  starve  and  commit  depredations  in  the  most  un- 
grateful manner  for  some  time  after;  and,  indeed,  to 
such  a  pitch  of  audacity  did  they  carry  their  rebellious 
spirit  against  the  constituted  authorities,  that  many  of 
the  chiefs  protested  if  the  white  people  would  only  let 
them  alone,  and  give  them  the  least  possible  chance  to 
make  a  living,  they  would  esteem  it  a  much  greater  fa- 
vor than  any  relief  they  had  experienced  from  the  munif- 
icent donations  of  Congress. 

But  government  was  not  to  be  defeated  in  its  benevo- 
lent intentions.  Voluminous  reports  were  made  to  Con- 
gress, showing  that  a  general  reservation  system,  on  the 
plan  so  successfully  pursued  by  the  Spanish  missionaries, 
would  best  accomplish  the  object.  It  was  known  that 
the  Missions  of  California  had  been  built  chiefly  by  In- 
dian labor ;  that  during  their  existence  the  priests  had 
fully  demonstrated  the  capacity  of  this  race  for  the  ac- 
quisition of  civilized  habits ;  that  extensive  vineyards 
and  large  tracts  of  land  had  been  cultivated  solely  by 
Indian  labor,  under  their  instruction ;  and  that  by  this 
humane  system  of  teaching  many  hostile  tribes  had  been 
subdued,  and  enabled  not  only  to  support  themselves, 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA.  289 


but  to  render  the  Missions  highly  profitable  establish- 
ments. 

No  aid  was  given  by  government  beyond  the  grants 
of  land  necessary  for  missionary  purposes;  yet  they 
soon  grew  wealthy,  owned  immense  herds  of  cattle,  sup- 
plied agricultural  products  to  the  rancheros,  and  gamed 
on  a  considerable  trade  in  hides  and  tallow  with  the 
United  States.  If  the  Spanish  priests  could  do  this 
without  arms  or  assistance,  in  the  midst  of  a  savage 
country,  at  a  period  when  the  Indians  were  more  nu- 
merous and  more  powerful  than  they  are  now,  surely 
it  could  be  done  in  a  comparatively  civilized  country  by 
intelligent  Americans,  with  all  the  lights  of  experience 
and  the  co-operation  of  a  beneficent  government. 

At  least  Congress  thought  so;  and  in  1853  laws  were 
passed  for  the  establishment  of  a  reservation  system  in 
California,  and  large  appropriations  were  made  to  carry 
it  into  effect.  Tracts  of  laud  of  twenty-five  thousand 
acres  were  ordered  to  be  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the  In- 
dians; officers  were  appointed  to  supervise  the  affairs  of 
the  service ;  clothing,  cattle,  seeds,  and  agricultural  im- 
plements were  purchased ;  and  a  general  invitation  was 
extended  to  the  various  tribes  to  come  in  and  learn  how 
to  work  like  white  men.  The  first  reservation  was  es- 
tablished at  the  Tejon,  a  beautiful  and  fertile  valley  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  state.  Head-quarters  for  the 
employes,  and  large  granaries  for  the  crops,  were  erect- 
ed. The  Indians  were  feasted  on  cattle,  and  every  thing 
promised  favorably.  True,  it  cost  a  great  deal  to  get 
started,  about  $250,000 ;  but  a  considerable  crop  was 
raised,  and  there  was  every  reason  to  hope  that  the  ex- 
periment would  prove  successful.  In  the  course  of  time 
other  Veservations  were  established,  one  in  the  foot-hills 
of  the  Sacramento  Valley,  at  a  place  called  Nome  Lackee ; 
one  at  the  mouth  of  the  Noyo  River,  south  of  Cape 
Mendocino ;  and  one  on  the  Klamath,  below  Crescent 
City;  besides  which,  there  were  Indian  farms,  or  ad- 
juncts, of  these  reservations  at  the  Fresno,  Nome  Cult 

N 


290 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


or  Round  Valley,  the  Mattole  Valley,  near  Cape  Mendo- 
cino, and  other  points  where  it  was  deemed  advisable 
to  give  aid  and  instruction  to  the  Indians.  The  cost  of 
these  establishments  was  such  as  to  justify  the  most  san- 
guine anticipations  of  their  success. 

In  order  that  the  appropriations  might  be  devoted 
to  their  legitimate  purpose,  and  the  greatest  possible 
amount  of  instruction  furnished  at  the  least  expense,  the 
Executive  Department  adopted  the  policy  of  selecting 
officers  experienced  in  the  art  of  public  speaking,  and 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  prevailing  systems  of 
primary  elections.  A  similar  policy  had  been  found  to 
operate  beneficially  in  the  case  of  Collectors  of  Customs, 
and  there  was  no  reason  why  it  should  not  in  other 
branches  of  the  public  service.  Gentlemen  skilled  in  the 
tactics  of  state  Legislatures,  and  capable  of  influencing 
those  refractory  bodies  by  the  exercise  of  moral  suasion, 
could  be  relied  upon  to  deal  with  the  Indians,  who  are 
not  so  far  advanced  in  the  arts  of  civilization,  and  whose 
necessities,  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  are  not  usually 
so  urgent.  Besides,  it  was  known  that  the  Digger  tribes 
were  exceedingly  ignorant  of  our  political  institutions, 
and  required  more  instruction,  perhaps,  in  this  branch 
of  knowledge  than  in  any  other.  The  most  intelligent 
of  the  chiefs  actually  had  no  more  idea  of  the  respective 
merits  of  the  great  candidates  for  senatorial  honors  in 
California  than  if  those  distinguished  gentlemen  had  nev- 
er been  born.  As  to  primary  meetings  and  caucuses, 
the  poor  Diggers,  in  their  simplicity,  were  just  as  apt  to 
mistake  them  for  some  favorite  game  of  thimblerig  or 
pitch-penny  as  for  the  practical  exercise  of  the  great  sys- 
tem of  free  suffrage.  They  could  not  make  out  why  men 
should  drink  so  much  whisky  and  swear  so  hard  unless 
they  were  gambling ;  and  if  any  farther  proof  was  neces- 
sary, it  was  plain  to  see  that  the  game  was  one  of  haz- 
ard, because  the  players  were  constantly  whispering  to 
each  other,  and  passing  money  from  hand  to  hand,  and 
from  pocket  to  pocket.    The  only  difference  they  could 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA.  291 


see  between  the  different  parties  was  that  some  had 
more  money  than  others,  but  they  had  no  idea  where  it 
came  from.  To  enlighten  them  on  all  these  points  was, 
doubtless,  the  object  of  the  great  appointing  powers  in 
selecting  good  political  speakers  to  preside  over  them. 
After  building  their  houses,  it  was  presumed  that  there 
would  be  plenty  of  stumps  left  in  the  woods  from  which 
they  could  be  taught  to  make  speeches  on  the  great 
questions  of  the  day,  and  where  a  gratifying  scene  might 
be  witnessed,  at  no  remote  period,  of  big  and  little  Dig- 
gers holding  forth  from  every  stump  in  support  of  the 
presiding  administration.  For  men  who  possessed  an 
extraordinary  capacity  for  drinking  ardent  spirits ;  who 
could  number  among  their  select  friends  the  most  noto- 
rious vagrants  and  gamblers  in  the  state;  who  spent 
their  days  in  idleness  and  their  nights  in  brawling  grog- 
shops ;  whose  habits,  in  short,  were  in  every  way  disrep- 
utable, the  authorities  in  Washington  entertained  a  very 
profound  antipathy.  T  know  this  to  be  the  case,  be- 
cause the  most  stringent  regulations  were  established 
prohibiting  persons  in  the  service  from  getting  drunk, 
and  official  orders  written  warning  them  that  they  would 
be  promptly  removed  in  case  of  any  misconduct.  Cir- 
cular letters  were  also  issued,  and  posted  up  at  the  dif- 
ferent reservations,  forbidding  the  employes  to  adopt 
the  wives  of  the  Indians,  which  it  was  supposed  they 
might  attempt  to  do  from  too  zealous  a  disposition  to 
cultivate  friendly  relations  with  both  sexes.  In  support 
of  this  policy,  the  California  delegation  made  it  a  point 
never  to  indorse  any  person  for  office  in  the  service  who 
was  not  considered  peculiarly  deserving  of  patronage. 
They  knew  exactly  the  kind  of  men  that  were  wanted, 
because  they  lived  in  the  state  and  had  read  about  the 
Indians  in  the  newspapers.  Some  of  them  had  even  vis- 
ited a  few  of  the  wigwams.  Having  the  public  welfare 
at  heart — a  fact  that  can  not  be  doubted,  since  they  re- 
peatedly asserted  it  in  their  speeches — they  saw  where 
the  great  difficulty  lay,  and  did  all  in  their  power  to  aid 


292 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


the  executive.  They  indorsed  the  very  best  friends  they 
had — gentlemen  who  had  contributed  to  their  election, 
and  fought  for  them  through  thick  and  thin.  The  ca- 
pacity of  such  persons  for  conducting  the  affairs  of  a 
reservation  could  not  be  doubted.  If  they  had  cultiva- 
ted an  extensive  acquaintance  among  pot-house  voters, 
of  course  they  must  understand  the  cultivation  of  pota- 
toes and  onions ;  if  they  could  control  half  a  dozen  mem- 
bers of  the  Legislature  in  a  senatorial  contest,  why  not 
be  able  to  control  Indians,  who  were  not  near  so  difficult 
to  manage?  if  they  could  swallow  obnoxious  measures 
of  the  administration,  were  they  not  qualified  to  teach 
savages  how  to  swallow  government  provisions  ?  if  they 
were  honest  enough  to  avow,  in  the  face  of  corrupt  and 
hostile  factions,  that  they  stood  by  the  Constitution,  and 
always  meant  to  stand  by  the  same  broad  platform,  were 
they  not  honest  enough  to  disburse  public  funds? 

In  one  respect,  I  think  the  policy  of  the  government 
was  unfortunate — that  is,  in  the  disfavor  with  which  per- 
sons of  intemperate  and  disreputable  habits  were  regard- 
ed. Men  of  this  kind — and  they  are  not  difficult  to  find 
in  California — could  do  a  great  deal  toward  meliorating 
the  moral  condition  of  the  Indians  by  drinking  up  all 
the  whisky  that  might  be  smuggled  on  the  reservations, 
and  behaving  so  disreputably  in  general  that  no  Indian, 
however  degraded  in  his  propensities,  could  fail  to  be- 
come ashamed  of  such  low  vices. 

In  accordance  with  the  views  of  the  Department,  it 
was  deemed  to  be  consistent  with  decency  that  these 
untutored  savages  should  be  clothed  in  a  more  becoming 
costume  than  Nature  had  bestowed  upon  them.  Most 
of  them  were  as  ignorant  of  covering  as  they  were  of 
the  Lecompton  Constitution.  With  the  exception  of  a 
few  who  had  worked  for  the  settlers,  they  made  their 
first  appearance  on  the  reservations  very  much  as  they 
appeared  when  they  first  saw  daylight.  It  was  a  great 
object  to  make  them  sensible  of  the  advantages  of  civili- 
zation by  covering  their  backs  while  cultivating  their 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


293 


brains.  Blankets,  shirts,  and  pantaloons,  therefore,  were 
purchased  for  them  in  large  quantities.  It  is  presumed 
that  when  the  Department  read  the  vouchers  for  these 
articles,  and  for  the  potatoes,  beans,  and  cattle  that  were 
so  plentifully  sprinkled  through  the  accounts,  it  imag- 
ined that  it  was  "clothing  the  naked  and  feeding  the 
hungry  1" 

The  blankets,  to  be  sure,  were  very  thin,  and  cost  a 
great  deal  of  money  in  proportion  to  their  value ;  but, 
then,  peculiar  advantages  were  to  be  derived  from  the 
transparency  of  the  fabric.  In  some  respects  the  worst 
material  might  be  considered  the  most  economical.  By 
holding  his  blanket  to  the  light,  an  Indian  could  enjoy 
the  contemplation  of  both  sides  of  it  at  the  same  time ; 
and  it  would  only  require  a  little  instruction  in  architect- 
ure to  enable  him  to  use  it  occasionally  as  a  window  to 
his  wigwam.  Every  blanket  being  marked  by  a  num-* 
ber  of  blotches,  he  could  carry  his  window  on  his  back 
whenever  he  went  out  on  a  foraging  expedition,  so  as 
to  know  the  number  of  his  residence  when  he  returned, 
as  the  citizens  of  Schilda  carried  their  doors  when  they 
went  away  from  home,  in  order  that  they  should  not 
forget  where  they  lived.  Nor  was  it  the  least  import- 
ant consideration,  that  when  he  gambled  it  away,  or 
sold  it  for  whisky,  he  would  not  be  subject  to  any  incon- 
venience from  a  change  of  temperature.  The  shirts  and 
pantaloons  were  in  general  equally  transparent,  and  pos- 
sessed this  additional  advantage,  that  they  very  soon 
cracked  open  in  the  seams,  and  thereby  enabled  the 
squaws  to  learn  how  to  sew. 

As  many  of  the  poor  wretches  were  afflicted  withMis- 
eases  incident  to  their  mode  of  life,  and  likely  to  con- 
tract others  from  the  white  employes  of  the  reservations, 
physicians  were  appointed  to  give  them  medicine.  Of 
course  Indians  required  a  peculiar  mode  of  treatment. 
They  spoke  a  barbarous  jargon,  and  it  was  not  possible 
that  any  thing  but  barbarous  compounds  could  operate 
on  their  bowels.    Of  what  use  would  it  be  to  waste 


294 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


good  medicines  on  stomachs  that  were  incapable  of  com- 
prehending their  use?  Accordingly,  any  deficiency  in 
the  quality  was  made  up  by  the  quantity  and  variety. 
Old  drug  stores  were  cleared  of  their  rubbish,  and  vast 
quantities  of  croton  oil,  saltpetre,  alum,  paint,  scent-bot- 
tles, mustard,  vinegar,  and  other  valuable  laxatives,  dia- 
phoretics, and  condiments  were  supplied  for  their  use. 
The  result  was,  that,  aided  by  the  peculiar  system  of 
diet  adopted,  the  physicians  were  enabled  very  soon  to 
show  a  considerable  roll  of  patients.  In  cases  where 
the  blood  was  ascertained  to  be  scorbutic,  the  patients 
were  allowed  to  go  out  in  the  valleys,  and  subsist  for  a 
few  months  on  clover  or  grass,  which  was  regarded  as  a 
sovereign  remedy.  I  was  assured  at  one  reservation 
that  fresh  spring  grass  had  a  more  beneficial  effect  on 
them  than  the  medicines,  as  it  generally  purged  them. 
The  Department  was  fully  advised  of  these  facts  in  elab- 
orate reports  made  by  its  special  emissaries,  and  con- 
gratulated itself  upon  the  satisfactory  progress  of  the 
system.  The  elections  were  going  all  right — the  coun- 
try was  safe.  Feeding  Indians  on  grass  was  advancing 
them  at  least  one  step  toward  a  knowledge  of  the  sacred 
Scriptures.  It  was  following  the  time-honored  prece- 
dent of  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  King  of  Babylon,  who  was 
driven  from  men,  and  did  eat  grass  as  oxen,  and  was  wet 
with  the  dews  of  heaven  till  his  hairs  were  grown  like  ea- 
gles' feathers,  and  his  nails  like  birds'  claws.  An  ounce 
of  croton  oil  would  go  a  great  way  in  lubricating  the  in- 
testines of  an  entire  tribe  of  Indians ;  and  if  the  paint 
could  not  be  strictly  classed  with  any  of  the  medicines 
known  in  the  official  dispensary,  it  might  at  least  be 
used  for  purposes  of  clothing  during  the  summer  months. 
Red  or  green  pantaloons  painted  on  the  legs  of  the  In- 
dians, and  striped  blue  shirts  artistically  marked  out  on 
their  bodies,  would  be  at  once  cool,  economical,  and  pic- 
turesque. If  these  things  cost  a  great  deal  of  money, 
as  appeared  by  the  vouchers,  it  was  a  consolation  to 
know  that,  money  being  the  root  of  all  evil,  no  injurious 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFOENIA. 


295 


effects  could  grow  out  of  such  a  root  after  it  had  been 
once  thoroughly  eradicated. 

The  Indians  were  also  taught  the  advantages  to  be 
derived  from  the  cultivation  of  the  earth.  Large  sup- 
plies of  potatoes  were  purchased  in  San  Francisco,  at 
about  double  what  they  were  worth  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  reservations.  There  were  only  twenty-five  thou- 
sand acres  of  public  land  available  at  each  place  for  the 
growth  of  potatoes  or  any  other  esculent  for  which  the 
hungry  natives  might  have  a  preference;  but  it  was 
much  easier  to  purchase  potatoes  than  to  make  farmers 
out  of  the  white  men  employed  to  teach  them  how  to 
cultivate  the  earth.  Sixteen  or  seventeen  men  on  each 
reservation  had  about  as  much  as  they  could  do  to  at- 
tend to  their  own  private  claims,  and  keep  the  natives 
from  eating  their  private  crops.  It  was  not  the  policy 
of  government  to  reward  its  friends  for  their  "  adhesion 
to  the  Constitution"  by  requiring  them  to  perforin  any 
practical  labor  at  seventy-five  or  a  hundred  dollars  a 
month,  which  was  scarcely  double  the  current  wages  of 
the  day.  Good  men  could  obtain  employment  any  where 
by  working  for  their  wages;  but  it  required  the  best 
kind  of  administration  men  to  earn  extraordinary  com- 
pensations by  an  extraordinary  amount  of  idleness.  Not 
that  they  were  all  absolutely  worthless.  On  the  contra- 
ry, some  spent  their  time  in  hunting,  others  in  riding 
about  the  country,  and  a  considerable  number  in  laying 
out  and  supervising  private  claims,  aided  by  Indian  la- 
bor and  government  provisions. 

The  official  reports  transmitted  to  Congress  from  time 
to  time  gave  flattering  accounts  of  the  progress  of  the 
system.  The  extent  and  variety  of  the  crops  were  fabu- 
lously grand.  Immense  numbers  of  Indians  were  fed  and 
clothed — on  paper.  Like  little  children  who  cry  for 
medicines,  it  would  appear  that  the  whole  red  race  were 
so  charmed  with  the  new  schools  of  industry  that  they 
were  weeping  to  be  removed  there  and  set  to  work.  In- 
deed, many  of  them  had  already  learned  to  work  "like 


296 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


white  men ;"  they  were  bending  to  it  cheerfully,  and 
could  handle  the  plow  and  the  sickle  very  skillfully,  castr 
ing  away  their  bows  and  arrows,  and  adopting  the  more 
effective  instruments  of  agriculture.  No  mention  was 
made  of  the  fact  that  these  working  Indians  had  acquired 
their  knowledge  from  the  settlers,  and  that,  if  they  worked 
after  the  fashion  of  the  white  men  on  the  reservations,  it 
was  rarely  any  of  them  were  obliged  to  go  to  the  hospi- 
tal in  consequence  of  injuries  resulting  to  the  spinal  col- 
umn. The  favorite  prediction  of  the  officers  in  charge 
was,  that  in  a  very  short  time  these  institutions  would  be 
self-sustaining — that  is  to  say,  that  neither  they  nor  the 
Indians  would  want  any  more  money  after  a  while. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  the  appropriations  demand- 
ed of  Congress  did  not  decrease  in  a  ratio  commensurate 
with  these  flattering  reports.  The  self-sustaining  period 
had  not  yet  come.  On  the  contrary,  as  the  Indians 
were  advancing  into  the  higher  branches  of  education 
— music,  dancing,  and  the  fine  arts,  moral  philosophy 
and  ethics,  political  economy,  etc. — it  required  more 
money  to  teach  them.  The  number  had  been  consider- 
ably diminished  by  death  and  desertion ;  but  then  their 
appetites  had  improved,  and  they  were  getting  a  great 
deal  smarter.  Besides,  politics  were  becoming  sadly  en- 
tangled in  the  state,  and  many  agents  had  to  be  em- 
ployed in  the  principal  cities  to  protect  the  women  and 
children  from  any  sudden  invasion  of  the  natives  while 
the  patriotic  male  citizens  were  at  the  polls  depositing 
their  votes. 

The  Department,  no  doubt,  esteemed  all  this  to  be  a 
close  approximation  to  the  Spanish  Mission  system,  and 
in  some  respects  it  was.  The  priests  sought  the  conver- 
sion of  heathens,  who  believed  neither  in  the  Divinity 
nor  the  Holy  Ghost ;  the  Department  the  conversion  of 
infidels,  who  had  no  faith  in  the  measures  of  the  admin- 
istration. If  there  was  any  material  difference,  it  was 
in  the  Head  of  the  Church,  and  the  missionaries  appoint- 
ed to  carry  its  views  into  effect. 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFOKNIA. 


297 


But  the  most  extraordinary  feature  in  the  history  of 
this  service  in  California  was  the  interpretation  given  by 
the  federal  authorities  in  Washington  to  the  Independ- 
ent Treasury  Act  of  1846.  That  stringent  provision,  pro- 
hibiting any  public  officer  from  using  for  private  pur- 
poses, loaning,  or  depositing  in  any  bank  or  banking  in- 
stitution any  public  funds  committed  to  his  charge ; 
transmitting  for  settlement;  any  voucher  for  a  greater 
amount  than  that  actually  paid ;  or  appropriating  such 
funds  to  any  other  purpose  than  that  prescribed  by  law, 
was  so  amended  in  the  construction  of  the  Department 
as  to  mean,  "  except  in  cases  where  such  officer  has  ren- 
dered peculiar  services  to  the  party  and  possesses  strong 
influences  in  Congress."  When  any  infraction  of  the 
law  was  reported,  it  was  subjected  to  the  test  of  this 
amended  reading ;  and  if  the  conditions  were  found  sat- 
isfactory, the  matter  was  disposed  of  in  a  pigeon-hole. 
An  adroit  system  of  accountability  was  established,  by 
which  no  property  return,  abstract  of  issues,  account  cur- 
rent, or  voucher,  was  understood  to  mean  what  it  ex- 
pressed upon  its  face,  so  that  no  accounting  officer  pos- 
sessing a  clew  to  the  policy  adopted  could  be  deceived 
by  the  figures.  Thus  it  was  perfectly  well  understood 
that  five  hundred  or  a  thousand  head  of  cattle  did  not 
necessarily  mean  real  cattle  with  horns,  legs,  and  tails, 
actually  born  in  the  usual  course  of  nature,  purchased  for 
money,  and  delivered  on  the  reservations,  but  prospect- 
ive cattle,  that  might  come  into  existence  and  be  wanted 
at  some  future  period.  For  all  the  good  the  Indians  got 
of  them,  it  might  as  well  be  five  hundred  or  a  thousand 
head  of  voters,  for  they  no  more  fed  upon  beef,  as  a  gen- 
eral thing,  than  they  did  upon  human  flesh. 

Neither  was  it  beyond  the  capacity  of  the  Department 
to  comprehend  that  traveling  expenses  on  special  Indian 
service  might  just  as  well  mean  a  trip  to  the  Convention 
at  Sacramento  ;  that  guides  and  assistants  were  a  very 
indefinite  class  of  gentlemen  of  a  roving  turn  of  mind; 
that  expenses  incurred  in  visiting  wild  tribes  and  set- 

N  2 


298  OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


tling  difficulties  among  them  did  not  necessarily  involve 
the  exclusion  of  difficulties  among  the  party  factions  in 
the  Legislature.  In  short,  the  original  purpose  of  lan- 
guage was  so  perverted  in  the  official  correspondence 
that  it  had  no  more  to  do  with  the  expression  of  facts 
than  many  of  the  employes  had  to  do  with  the  Indians. 
The  reports  and  regulations  of  the  Department  actually 
bordered  on  the  poetical.  It  was  enough  to  bring  tears 
into  the  eyes  of  any  feeling  man  to  read  the  affecting 
dissertations  that  were  transmitted  to  Congress  on  the 
woes  of  the  Red  men,  and  the  labors  of  the  public  func- 
tionaries to  meliorate  their  unhappy  condition.  Faith, 
hope,  and  charity  abounded  in  them.  "  See  what  we  are 
doing  for  these  poor  children  of  the  forest !"  was  the 
burden  of  the  song,  in  a  strain  worthy  the  most  pathetic 
flights  of  Mr.  Pecksniff ;  "  see  how  faithful  we  are  to  our 
trusts,  and  how  judiciously  we  expend  the  appropria- 
tions !  Yet  they  die  off  in  spite  of  us — wither  away  as 
the  leaves  of  the  trees  in  autumn  !  Let  us  hope,  never- 
theless, that  the  beneficent  intentions  of  Congress  may 
yet  be  realized.  We  are  the  guardians  of  these  unfor- 
tunate and  defenseless  beings  ;  they  are  our  wards  ;  it  is 
our  duty  to  take  care  of  them ;  we  can  afford  to  be  lib- 
eral, and  spend  a  little  more  money  on  them.  Through 
the  judicious  efforts  of  our  public  functionaries,  and  the 
moral  influences  spread  around  them,  there  is  reason  to 
believe  they  will  yet  embrace  civilization  and  Christian- 
ity, and  become  useful  members  of  society."  In  accord- 
ance with  these  views,  the  regulations  issued  by  the  De- 
partment were  of  the  most  stringent  character — encour- 
aging economy,  industry,  and  fidelity  ;  holding  all  agents 
and  employes  to  a  strict  accountability ;  with  here  and 
there  some  instructive  maxim  of  morality — all  of  which, 
upon  being  translated,  meant  that  politicians  are  very 
smart  fellows,  and  it  was  not  possible  for  them  to  hum- 
bug one  another.  "  Do  your  duty  to  the  Indians  as  far 
as  you  can  conveniently,  and  without  too  great  a  sacri- 
fice of  money ;  but  stand  by  our  friends,  and  save  the 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA.  299 


party  by  all  means  and  at  all  hazards.  Verbum  sap  /" 
was  the  practical  construction. 

When  public  clamor  called  attention  to  these  supposed 
abuses,  and  it  became  necessary  to  make  some  effective 
demonstration  of  honesty,  a  special  agent  was  directed 
to  examine  into  the  affairs  of  the  service  and  report  the 
result.  It  was  particularly  enjoined  upon  him  to  investi- 
gate every  complaint  affecting  the  integrity  of  public  of- 
ficers, collect  and  transmit  the  proofs  of  malfeasance,  with 
his  own  views  in  the  premises,  so  that  every  abuse  might 
be  uprooted  and  cast  out  of  the  service.  Decency  in  of- 
ficial conduct  must  be  respected  and  the  public  eye  re- 
garded !  Peremptory  measures  would  be  taken  to  sup- 
press all  frauds  upon  the  Treasury.  It  was  the  sincere 
desire  of  the  administration  to  preserve  purity  and  integ- 
rity in  the  public  service. 

From  mail  to  mail,  during  a  period  of  three  years,  the 
agent  made  his  reports ;  piling  up  proof  upon  proof,  and 
covering  acres  of  valuable  paper  with  protests  and  re- 
monstrances against  the  policy  pursued  ;  racking  his 
brains  to  do  his  duty  faithfully ;  subjecting  himself  to 
newspaper  abuse  for  neglecting  it,  because  no  beneficial 
result  was  perceptible,  and  making  enemies  as  a  matter 
of  course.  Reader,  if  ever  you  aspire  to  official  honors, 
let  the  fate  of  that  unfortunate  agent  be  a  warning  to 
you.  He  did  exactly  what  he  was  instructed  to  do, 
which  was  exactly  what  he  was  not  wanted  to  do.  In 
order  to  save  time  and  expense,  as  well  as  farther  loss 
of  money  in  the  various  branches  of  public  service  upon 
whicti  he  had  reported,  other  agents  were  sent  out  to  as- 
certain if  he  had  told  the  truth ;  and  when  they  were 
forced  to  admit  that  he  had,  there  was  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  in  the  wigwam  of  the  great  chief.  Not  only  did 
poor  Yorick  incur  the  hostility  of  powerful  senatorial  in- 
fluences, but  by  persevering  in  his  error,  and  insisting 
that  he  had  told  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing 
but  the  truth,  he  eventually  lost  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  the  "  powers  that  be,"  together  with  his  official 


300 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


head.  I  knew  him  well.  He  was  a  fellow  of  infinite 
jest.  There  was  something  so  exquisitely  comic  in  the 
idea  of  taking  official  instructions  literally,  and  carrying 
them  into  effect,  that  he  could  not  resist  it.  The  humor 
of  the  thing  kept  him  in  a  constant  chuckle  of  internal 
satisfaction ;  but  it  was  the  most  serious  jest  he  ever 
perpetrated,  for  it  cost  him,  besides  the  trouble  of  carry- 
ing it  out,  the  loss  of  a  very  comfortable  per  diem. 

The  results  of  the  policy  pursued  were  precisely  such 
as  might  have  been  expected.  A  very  large  amount  of 
money  was  annually  expended  in  feeding  white  men  and 
starving  Indians.  Such  of  the  latter  as  were  physically 
able  took  advantage  of  the  tickets-of-leave  granted  them 
so  freely,  and  left.  Very  few  ever  remained  at  these  be- 
nevolent institutions  when  there  was  a  possibility  of  get- 
ting any  thing  to  eat  in  the  woods.  Every  year  num- 
bers of  them  perished  from  neglect  and  disease,  and  some 
from  absolute  starvation.  When  it  was  represented  in 
the  official  reports  that  two  or  three  thousand  enjoyed 
the  benefit  of  aid  from  government  within  the  limits  of 
each  district — conveying  the  idea  that  they  were  fed  and 
clothed  at  public  expense. — it  must  have  meant  that  the 
Territory  of  California  originally  cost  the  United  States 
fifteen  millions  of  dollars,  and  that  the  nuts  and  berries 
upon  which  the  Indians  subsisted,  and  the  fig-leaves  in 
which  they  were  supposed  to  be  clothed,  were  embraced 
within  the  cessions  made  by  Mexico.  At  all  events,  it 
invariably  happened,  when  a  visitor  appeared  on  the  res- 
ervations, that  the  Indians  were  "  out  in  the  mountains 
gathering  nuts  and  berries."  This  was  the  case  in  spring, 
summer,  autumn,  and  winter.  They  certainly  possessed 
a  remarkable  predilection  for  staying  out  a  long  time. 
Very  few  of  them,  indeed,  have  yet  come  back.  The 
only  difference  between  the  existing  state  of  things  and 
that  which  existed  prior  to  the  inauguration  of  the  sys- 
tem is,  that  there  were  then  some  thousands  of  Indians 
living  within  the  limits  of  the  districts  set  apart  for  res- 
ervation purposes,  whereas  there  are  now  only  some 


302 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


hundreds.  In  the  brief  period  of  six  years  they  have 
been  very  nearly  destroyed  by  the  generosity  of  govern- 
ment. What  neglect,  starvation,  and  disease  have  not 
done,  has  been  achieved  by  the  co-operation  of  the  white 
settlers  in  the  great  work  of  extermination. 

No  pretext  has  been  wanted,  no  opportunity  lost, 
whenever  it  has  been  deemed  necessary  to  get  them  out 
of  the  way.  At  Nome  Cult  Valley,  during  the  winter 
of  1858-'59,  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  peaceable  In- 
dians, including  women  and  children,  Were  cruelly  slaugh- 
tered by  the  whites  who  had  settled  there  under  official 
authority,  and  most  of  whom  derived  their  support  either 
from  actual  or  indirect  connection  with  the  reservation. 
Many  of  them  had  been  in  public  employ,  and  now  en- 
joyed the  rewards  of  their  meritorious  services.  True, 
a  notice  was  posted  up  on  the  trees  that  the  valley  was 
public  land  reserved  for  Indian  purposes,  and  not  open 
to  settlement ;  but  nobody,  either  in  or  out  of  the  serv- 
ice, paid  any  attention  to  that,  as  a  matter  of  course. 
When  the  Indians  were  informed  that  it  was  their  home, 
and  were  invited  there  on  the  pretext  that  they  would 
be  protected,  it  was  very  well  understood  that,  as  soon 
as  government  had  spent  money  enough  there  to  build 
up  a  settlement  sufficiently  strong  to  maintain  itself,  they 
would  enjoy  very  slender  chances  of  protection.  It  was 
alleged  that  they  had  driven  off  and  eaten  private  cattle. 
There  were  some  three  or  four  hundred  head  of  public 
cattle  on  the  property  returns,  all  supposed  to  be  rang- 
ing in  the  same  vicinity;  but  the  private  cattle  must 
have  been  a  great  deal  better,  owing  to  some  superior 
capacity  for  eating  grass.  Upon  an  investigation  of  this 
charge,  made  by  the  officers  of  the  army,  it  was  found  to 
be  entirely  destitute  of  truth  :  a  few  cattle  had  been  lost, 
or  probably  killed  by  white  men,  and  this  was  the  whole 
basis  of  the  massacre.  Armed  parties  went  into  the 
rancherias  in  open  day,  when  no  evil  was  apprehended, 
and  shot  the  Indians  down — weak,  harmless,  and  defense- 
less as  they  were  —  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex; 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


303 


shot  down  women  with  sucking  babes  at  their  breasts ; 
killed  or  crippled  the  naked  children  that  were  running 
about ;  and,  after  they  had  achieved  this  brave  exploit, 
appealed  to  the  state  government  for  aid !  Oh,  Shame, 
Shame,  where  is  thy  blush,  that  white  men  should  do 
this  with  impunity  in  a  civilized  country,  under  the  very 
eyes  of  an  enlightened  government !  They  did  it,  and 
they  did  more!  For  days,  weeks,  and  months  they 
ranged  the  hills  of  Nome  Cult,  killing  every  Indian  that 
was  too  weak  to  escape ;  and,  what  is  worse,  they  did  it 
under  a  state  commission,  which  in  all  charity  I  must  be- 
lieve was  issued  upon  false  representations.  A  more 
cruel  series  of  outrages  than  those  perpetrated  upon  the 
poor  Indians  of  Nome  Cult  never  disgraced  a  community 
of  white  men.  The  state  said  the  settlers  must  be  pro- 
tected, and  it  protected  them  —  protected  them  from 
women  and  children,  for  the  men  are  too  imbecile  and 
too  abject  to  fight.  The  general  government  folded  its 
arms  and  said,  "  What  can  we  do  ?  We  can  not  chastise 
the  citizens  of  a  state.  Are  we  not  feeding  and  clothing 
the  savages,  and  teaching  them  to  be  moral,  and  is  not 
that  as  much  as  the  civilized  world  can  ask  of  us  ?" 

At  King's  River,  where  there  was  a  public  farm  main- 
tained at  considerable  expense,  the  Indians  were  collect- 
ed in  a  body  of  two  or  three  hundred,  and  the  white  set- 
tlers, who  complained  that  government  would  not  do  any 
thing  for  them,  drove  them  over  to  the  Agency  at  the 
Fresno.  After  an  expenditure  of  some  thirty  thousand 
dollars  a  year  for  six  years,  that  farm  had  scarcely  pro- 
duced six  blades  of  grass,  and  was  entirely  unable  to 
support  over  a  few  dozen  Indians  who  had  always  lived 
there,  and  who  generally  foraged  for  their  own  subsist- 
ence. The  new-comers,  therefore,  stood  a  poor  chance 
till  the  agent  purchased  from  the  white  settlers,  on  pub- 
lic account,  the  acorns  which  they  (the  Indians)  had 
gathered  and'  laid  up  for  winter  use  at  King's  River. 
Notwithstanding  the  acorns,  they  were  very  soon  starved 
out  at  the  Fresno,  and  wandered  away  to  find  a  subsist- 


304 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


ence  wherever  they  could.  Many  of  them  perished  of 
hunger  on  the  plains  of  the  San  Joaquin.  The  rest  are 
presumed  to  be  in  the  mountains  gathering  berries. 

At  the  Mattole  Station,  near  Cape  Mendocino,  a  num- 
ber of  Indians  were  murdered  on  the  public  farm  within 
a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  head-quarters.  The  settlers 
in  the  valley  alleged  that  government  would  not  support 
them,  or  take  any  care  of  them  ;  and  as  settlers  were  not 
paid  for  doing  it,  they  must  kill  them  to  get  rid  of  them. 

At  Humboldt  Bay,  and  in  the  vicinity,  a  series  of  In- 
dian massacres  by  white  men  continued  for  over  two 
years.  The  citizens  held  public  meetings,  and  protested 
against  the  action  of  the  general  government  in  leaving 
these  Indians  to  prowl  upon  them  for  a  support.  It  was 
alleged  that  the  reservations  cost  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  a  year,  and  yet  nothing  was  done  to  re- 
lieve the  people  of  this  burden.  Petitions  were  finally 
sent  to  the  state  authorities  asking  for  the  removal  of 
the  Indians  from  that  vicinity  ;  and  the  state  sent  out  its 
militia,  killed  a  good  many,  and  captured  a  good  many 
others,  who  were  finally  carried  down  to  the  Mendocino 
reservation.  They  liked  that  place  so  well  that  they  left 
it  very  soon,  and  went  back  to  their  old  places  of  resort, 
preferring  a  chance  of  life  to  the  certainty  of  starvation. 
During  the  winter  of  last  year  a  number  of  them  were 
gathered  at  Humboldt.  The  whites  thought  it  was  a 
favorable  opportunity  to  get  rid  of  them  altogether.  So 
they  went  in  a  body  to  the  Indian  camp,  during  the 
night  when  the  poor  wretches  were  asleep,  shot  all  the 
men,  women,  and  children  they  could  at  the  first  on- 
slaught, and  cut  the  throats  of  the  remainder.  Very  few 
escaped.  Next  morning  sixty  bodies  lay  weltering  in 
their  blood — the  old  and  the  young,  male  and  female — 
with  every  wound  gaping  a  tale  of  horror  to  the  civilized 
world.  Children  climbed  upon  their  mothers'  breasts, 
and  sought  nourishment  from  the  fountains  that  death 
had  drained;  girls  and  boys  lay  here  and  there  with 
their  throats  cut  from  ear  to  ear ;  men  and  women,  cling- 


PROTECTING  THE  SETTLEKS. 


306 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


ing  to  each  other  in  their  terror,  were  found  perforated 
with  bullets  or  cut  to  pieces  with  knives — all  were  cruel- 
ly murdered !  Let  any  one  who  doubts  this  read  the 
newspapers  of  San  Francisco  of  that  date.  It  will  be 
found  there  in  its  most  bloody  and  tragic  details.  Let 
them  read  of  the  Pitt  River  massacre,  and  of  all  the  mas- 
sacres that  for  the  past  three  years  have  darkene'd  the 
records  of  the  state. 

I  will  do  the  white  people  who  were  engaged  in  these 
massacres  the  justice  to  say  that  they  were  not  so  much 
to  blame  as  the  general  government.  They  had  at  least 
given  due  warning  of  their  intention.  For  years  they 
had  burdened  the  mails  with  complaints  of  the  ineffi- 
ciency of  the  agents  ;  they  had  protested  in  the  newspa- 
pers, in  public  meetings,  in  every  conceivable  way,  and 
on  every  possible  occasion,  against  the  impolicy  of  per- 
mitting these  Indians  to  roam  about  the  settlements, 
picking  up  a  subsistence  in  whatever  way  they  could, 
when  there  was  a  fund  of  $250,000  a  year  appropriated 
by  Congress  for  their  removal  to  and  support  on  the  res- 
ervations. What  were  these  establishments  for  ?  Why 
did  they  not  take  charge  of  the  Indians  ?  Where  were 
the  agents  ?  What  was  done  with  the  money  ?  It  was 
repeatedly  represented  that,  unless  something  was  done, 
the  Indians  would  soon  all  be  killed.  They  could  no 
longer  make  a  subsistence  in  their  old  haunts.  The 
progress  of  settlement  had  driven  them  from  place  to 
place  till  there  was  no  longer  a  spot  on  earth  they  could 
call  their  own.  Their  next  move  could  only  be  into  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  If  ever  an  unfortunate  people  needed  a 
few  acres  of  ground  to  stand  upon,  and  the  poor  privi- 
lege of  making  a  living  for  themselves,  it  was  these  hap- 
less Diggers.  As  often  as  they  tried  the  reservations, 
sad  experience  taught  them  that  these  were  institutions 
for  the  benefit  of  white  men,  not  Indians.  It  was  won- 
derful how  the  employes  had  prospered  on  their  salaries. 
They  owned  fine  ranches  in  the  vicinity ;  in  fact,  the  res- 
ervations themselves  were  pretty  much  covered  with  the 


THE  INDIANS  OF  CALIFORNIA.  307 


claims  of  persons  in  the  service,  who  thought  they  would 
make  nice  farms  for  white  men.  The  principal  work 
done  was  to  attend  to  sheep  and  cattle  speculations,  and 
make  shepherds  out  of  the  few  Indians  that  were  left. 

What  did  it  signify  that  thirty  thousand  dollars  a  year 
had  been  expended  at  the  Tejon  ?  thirty  thousand  at  the 
Fresno  ?  fifty  thousand  at  Nome  Lackee  ?  ten  thousand 
at  Nome  Cult?  forty-eight  thousand  at  Mendocino ?  six- 
teen thousand  at  the  Klamath  ?  and  some  fifty  or  sixty 
thousand  for  miscellaneous  purposes  ?  that  all  this  had 
resulted  in  the  reduction  of  a  hundred  thousand  Indians 
to  about  thirty  thousand  ?  Meritorious  services  had 
been  rewarded,  and  a  premium  in  favor  of  public  integ- 
rity issued  to  an  admiring  world. 

I  am  satisfied,  from  an  acquaintance  of  eleven  years 
with  the  Indians  of  California,  that,  had  the  least  care 
been  taken  of  them,  these  disgraceful  massacres  would 
never  have  occurred.  A  more  inoffensive  and  harmless 
race  of  beings  does  not  exist  on  the  face  of  the  earth ; 
but,  wherever  they  attempted  to  procure  a  subsistence, 
they  were  hunted  down  ;  driven  from  the  reservations  by 
the  instinct  of  self-preservation ;  shot  down  by  the  set- 
tlers upon  the  most  frivolous  pretexts  ;  and  abandoned 
to  their  fate  by  the  only  power  that  could  have  afforded 
them  protection. 

This  was  the  result,  in  plain  terms,  of  the  inefficient 
and  discreditable  manner  in  which  public  affairs  were  ad- 
ministered by  the  federal  authorities  in  Washington.  It 
was  the  natural  consequence  of  a  corrupt  political  sys- 
tem, which,  for  the  credit  of  humanity,  it  is  to  be  hoped 
will  be  abandoned  in  future  so  far  as  the  Indians  are 
concerned.  They  have  no  voice  in  public  affairs.  So 
long  as  they  are  permitted  to  exist,  party  discipline  is  a 
matter  of  very  little  moment  to  them.  All  they  ask  is 
the  privilege  of  breathing  the  air  that  God  gave  to  us 
all,  and  living  in  peace  wherever  it  may  be  convenient  to 
remove  them.  Their  history  in  California  is  a  melan- 
choly record  of  neglect  and  cruelty ;  and  the  part  taken 


308 


OBSERVATIONS  IN  OFFICE. 


by  public  men  high  in  position,  in  wresting  from  them 
the  very  means  of  subsistence,  is  one  of  which  any  other 
than  professional  politicians  would  be  ashamed.  For  the 
Executive  Department  there  is  no  excuse.  There  lay 
the  power  and  the  remedy;  but  a  paltry  and  servile 
spirit,  an  abject  submission  to  every  shifting  influence, 
an  utter  absence  of  that  high  moral  tone  which  is  the 
characteristic  trait  of  genuine  statesmen  and  patriots, 
have  been  the  distinguishing  features  of  this  branch  of 
our  government  for  some  time  past.  Disgusted  with 
their  own  handiwork;  involved  in  debt  throughout  the 
state,  after  wasting  all  the  money  appropriated  by  Con- 
gress ;  the  accounts  in  an  inextricable  state  of  confusion ; 
the  creditors  of  the  government  clamoring  to  be  paid ; 
the  u  honest  yeomanry"  turning  against  the  party  in  pow- 
er ;  political  affairs  entangled  beyond  remedy ;  it  was 
admitted  to  be  a  very  bad  business — not  at  all  such  as 
to  meet  the  approval  of  the  administration.  The  appro- 
priation was  cut  down  to  fifty  thousand  dollars.  That 
would  do  damage  enough.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand a  year,  for  six  or  seven  years,  had  inflicted  sufficient 
injury  upon  the  poor  Indians.  Now  it  was  time  to  let 
them  alone  on  fifty  thousand,  or  turn  them  over  to  the 
state.  So  the  end  of  it  is,  that  the  reservations  are  prac- 
tically abandoned  ;  the  remainder  of  the  Indians  are  be- 
ing exterminated  every  day;  and  the  Spanish  Mission 
System  has  signally  failed. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE, 


CHAPTER  I. 

When  I  inform  the  reader  that  I  have  scarcely  dipped 
pen  in  ink  for  six  years  save  to  unravel  the  mysteries  of 
a  Treasury  voucher ;  that  I  have  lived  chiefly  among^  In- 
dians, disbursing  agents,  and  officers  of  the  customs; 
that  I  now  sit  writing  in  the  attic  of  a  German  villa 
more  than  eight  thousand  miles  from  the  scene  of  my 
adventures,  without  note  or  memorandum  of  any  kind 
to  refresh  my  memory,  he  will  be  prepared  to  make  rea- 
sonable allowance  for  such  a  loose,  rambling,  and  dis- 
jointed narrative  as  an  ex-inspector  general  can  be  ex- 
pected to  write  under  such  adverse  circumstances.  If 
there  be  inconveniences  in  being  hanged,  as  the  gentle 
Elia  has  attempted  to  prove,  so  likewise  are  there  incon- 
veniences in  being  decapitated ;  for  surely  a  man  de- 
prived of  the  casket  which  nature  has  given  him  as  a  re- 
ceptacle for  his  brains  is  no  better  off  than  one  with  a 
broken  neck.  But  it  is  not  my  present  purpose  to  enter 
into  an  analysis  of  this  portion  of  my  experience;  nor 
do  I  make  these  references  to  official  life  by  way  of  ex- 
cuse for  any  rustiness  of  intellect  that  may  be  percepti- 
ble in  my  narrative,  but  rather  in  mitigation  of  those  un- 
conscious violations  of  truth  and  marvelous  flights  of 
fancy  which  may  naturally  result  from  long  experience 
in  government  affairs. 

Ever  since  1849,  when  I  first  trod  the  shores  of  Cali- 
fornia, the  citizens  of  that  Land  of  Promise  have  been 
subject  to  periodical  excitements,  the  extent  and  variety 
of  which  can  find  no  parallel  in  any  other  state  of  the 


310  A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 

Union.  To  enumerate  these  in  chronological  detail 
would  be  a  difficult  task,  nor  is  it  necessary  to  my  pur- 
pose. The  destruction  of  towns  by  flood  and  fire;  the 
uprisings  and  dowufallings  of  vigilance  committees  ;  the 
breaking  of  banking-houses  and  pecuniary  ruin  of  thou- 
sands ;  the  political  wars,  senatorial  tournaments,  duels, 
and  personal  affrays ;  the  prison  and  bulkhead  schemes ; 
the  extraordinary  ovations  to  the  living  and  the  dead, 
and  innumerable  other  excitements,  have  been  too  fre- 
quently detailed,  and  have  elicited  too  much  comment 
from  the  Atlantic  press  not  to  be  still  in  the  memory  of 
the  public. 

But,  numerous  as  these  agitations  have  been,  and  prej- 
udicial as  some  of  them  must  long  continue  to  be  to  the 
reputation  of  the  state,  they  can  bear  no  comparison  in 
point  of  extent  and  general  interest  to  the  mining  excite- 
ments which  from  time  to  time  have  convulsed  the  whole 
Pacific  coast,  from  Puget's  Sound  to  San  Diego.  In 
these  there  can  be  no  occasion  for  party  animosity ;  they 
are  confined  to  no  political  or  sectional  clique ;  all  the 
industrial  classes  are  interested,  and  in  a  manner,  too,  af- 
fecting, either  directly  or  incidentally,  their  very  means 
of  subsistence.  The  country  abounds  in  mineral  wealth, 
and  the  merchant,  the  banker,  the  shipper,  the  mechanic, 
the  laborer,  are  all,  to  some  extent,  dependent  upon  its 
development.  Even  the  gentleman  of  elegant  leisure, 
vulgarly  known  as  the  "Bummer" — and  there  are  many 
in  California — is  occasionally  driven  by  visions  of  cock- 
tail and  cigar-money  to  doff  his  "  stove-pipe,"  and  ex- 
change his  gold-mounted  cane  for  a  pick  or  a  shovel. 
The  axiom  has  been  well  established  by  an  eminent  En- 
glish writer  that  "  every  man  wants  a  thousand  pounds." 
It  seems,  indeed,  to  be  a  chronic^and  constitutional  want, 
as  well  in  California  as  in  less  favored  countries. 

Few  of  the  early  residents  of  the  state  can  have  for- 
gotten the  Gold  Bluff  excitement  of '52,  when,  by  all  ac- 
counts, old  Ocean  himself  turned  miner,  and  washed  up 
cartloads  of  gold  on  the  beach  above  Trinidad.    It  was 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


311 


THE  UUMMEE. 


represented,  and  generally  believed,  that  any  enterpris- 
ing man  could  take  his  hat  and  a  wheelbarrow,  and  in 
half  an  hour  gather  up  gold  enough  to  last  him  for  life. 
I  have  reason  to  suspect  that,  of  the  thousands  who  went 
there,  many  will  long  remember  their  experience  with 
emotions,  if  pleasant,  "yet  mournful  to  the  soul." 

The  Kern  River  excitement  threatened  for  a  time  to 
depopulate  the  northern  portion  of  the  state.   The  stages 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


312 


from  Marysville  and  Sacramento  were  crowded  day  after 
day,  and  new  lines  were  established  from  Los  Angeles, 


GOING  TO  KERN  RIVER. 


Stockton,  San  Jose,  and  various  other  points ;  but  such 
was  the  pressure  of  travel  in  search  of  this  grand  depos- 
itory, in  which  it  was  represented  the  main  wealth  of  the 
world  had  been  treasured  by  a  beneficent  Providence, 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


313 


that  thousands  were  compelled  to  go  on  foot,  and  cany 
their  blankets  and  provisions  on  their  backs.  From 
Stockton  to  the  mining  district,  a  distance  of  more  than 
three  hundred  miles,  the  plains  of  the  San  Joaquin  were 
literally  speckled  with  "honest  miners."    It  is  a  notable 


RETURNING  FROM  KERN  RIVER. 


fact,  that  of  those  who  went  in  stages,  the  majority  re- 
turned on  foot ;  and  of  those  who  trusted  originally  to 

O 


314 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


shoe-leather,  many  had  to  walk  back  on  their  natural 
soles,  or  depend  on  sackcloth  or  charity. 

After  the  Kern  River  Exchequer  had  been  exhausted, 
the  public  were  congratulated  by  the  press  throughout 
the  state  upon  the  effectual  check  now  put  upon  these 
ruinous  and  extravagant  excitements.  The  enterprising 
miners  who  had  been  tempted  to  abandon  good  claims 
in  search  of  better  had  undergone  a  species  of  purging 
which  would  allay  any  irritation  of  the  mucous  mem- 
brane for  some  time.  What  they  had  lost  in  money 
they  had  gained  in  experience.  They  would  henceforth 
turn  a  deaf  ear  to  interested  representations,  and  not  be 
dazzled  by  visions  of  sudden  wealth  conjured  up  by 
monte-dealers,  travelers,  and  horse-jockeys.  They  were, 
on  the  whole,  wiser  if  not  happier  men.  Nor  would  the 
lesson  be  lost  to  the  merchants  and  capitalists  who  had 
scattered  their  goods  and  their  funds  over  the  pictur- 
esque heights  of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  And  even  the  gen- 
tlemen of  elegant  leisure,  who  had  gone  off  so  suddenly 
in  search  of  small  change  for  liquors  and  cigars,  could 
now  recuperate  their  exhausted  energies  at  the  free 
lunch  establishments  of  San  Francisco,  or,  if  too  far  gone 
in  seed  for  that,  they  could  regenerate  their  muscular 
system  by  some  wholesome  exercise  in  the  old  diggings, 
where  there  was  not  so  much  gold  perhaps  as  at  Kern 
River,  but  where  it  could  be  got  at  more  easily. 

Scarcely  had  the  reverberation  caused  by  the  bursting 
of  the  Kern  River  bubble  died  away,  and  fortune  again 
smiled  upon  the  ruined  multitudes,  when  a  faint  cry  was 
heard  from  afar — first  low  and  uncertain,  like  a  mysteri- 
ous whisper,  then  full  and  sonorous,  like  the  boom  of 
glad  tidings  from  the  mouth  of  a  cannon,  the  inspiring 
cry  of  Frazer  River  !  Here  was  gold  sure  enough !  a 
river  of  gold !  a  country  that  dazzled  the  eyes  with  its 
glitter  of  gold !  There  was  no  deception  about  it  this 
time.  New  Caledonia  was  the  land  of  Ophir.  True,  it 
was  in  the  British  possessions,  but  what  of  that?  The 
people  of  California  would  develop  the  British  posses- 


ho!  fob  frazer  river. 


316 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


sions.  Had  our  claim  to  54°  40'  been  insisted  upon, 
this  immense  treasure  would  now  have  been  within  our 
own  boundaries;  but  no  matter  —  it  was  ours  by  right 
of  proximity.  The  problem  of  Solomon's  Temple  was 
now  solved.  Travelers,  from  Marco  Polo  down  to  the 
present  era,  who  had  attempted  to  find  the  true  land  of 
Ophir,  had  signally  failed  ;  but  here  it  was,  the  exact  lo- 
cality, beyond  peradventure.  For  where  else  in  the 
world  could  the  river-beds,  creeks,  and  canons  be  lined 
with  gold?  Where  else  .could  the  honest  miner  "pan 
out"  $100  per  day  every  day  in  the  year?  But  if  any 
who  had  been  rendered  incredulous  by  former  excite- 
ments still  doubted,  they  could  no  longer  discredit  the 
statements  that  were  brought  down  by  every  steamer, 
accompanied  by  positive  and  palpable  specimens  of  the 
ore,  and  by  the  assurances  of  captains,  pursers,  mates, 
cooks,  and  waiters,  that  Frazer  River  was  the  country. 
To  be  sure,  it  was  afterward  hinted  that  the  best  part 
of  the  gold  brought  down  from  Frazer  had  made  the 
round  voyage  from  San  Francisco ;  but  I  consider  this 
a  gross  and  unwarranted  imputation  upon  the  integrity 
of  steam-boat  owners,  captains,  and  speculators.  Did  not 
the  famous  Commodore  Wright  take  the  matter  in  hand  ; 
put  his  best  steamers  on  the  route;  hoist  his  banners 
and  placards  in  every  direction,  and  give  every  man  a 
chance  of  testing  the  question  in  person  ?  This  was  es- 
tablishing the  existence  of  immense  mineral  wealth  in 
that  region  upon  a  firm  and  practical  basis.  No  man  of 
judgment  and  experience,  like  the  commodore,  would 
undertake  to  run  his  steamers  on  "the  baseless  fabric  of 
a  vision."  The  cheapness  and  variety  of  his  rates  afford- 
ed every  man  an  opportunity  of  making  a  fortune.  For 
thirty,  twenty,  and  even  fifteen  dollars,  the  ambitious  as- 
pirant for  Frazer  could  be  landed  at  Victoria. 

I  will  not  now  undertake  to  give  a  detail  of  that  mem- 
orable excitement ;  how  the  stages,  north,  south,  east, 
and,  I  had  almost  said,  west,  were  crowded  day  and 
night  with  scores  upon  scores  of  sturdy  adventurers; 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


317 


how  farms  were  abandoned  and  crops  lost  for  want  of 
hands  to  work  them;  how  rich  claims  in  the  old  dig- 
gings were  given  away  for  a  song ;  how  the  wharves  of 
San  Francisco  groaned  under  the  pressure  of  the  human 
freight  delivered  upon  them  on  every  arrival  of  the  Sac- 
ramento and  Stockton  boats ;  how  it  was  often  impracti- 
cable to  get  through  the  streets  in  that  vicinity  owing 
to  the  crowds  gathered  around  the  "  runners,"  who  cried 
aloud  the  merits  and  demerits  of  the  rival  steamers  ;  and, 
strangest  of  all,  how  the  head  and  front  of  the  Frazerites 
were  the  very  men  who  had  enjoyed  such  pleasant  ex- 
perience at  Gold  Bluff,  Kern  River,  and  other  places 
famous  in  the  history  of  California.  No  sensible  man 
could  doubt  the  richness  of  Frazer  River  when  these  vet- 
erans became  leaders,  and  called  upon  the  masses  to  fol- 
low. They  were  not  a  class  of  men  likely  to  be  deceived 
— they  knew  the  signs  of  the  times.  And,  in  addition 
to  all  this,  who  could  resist  the  judgment  and  experience 
of  Commodore  Wright,  a  man  who  had  made  an  inde- 
pendent fortune  in  the  steam-boat  business  ?  Who  could 
be  deaf  when  assay ers,  bankers,  jobbers,  and  speculators 
cried  aloud  that  it  was  all  true  ? 

Well,  I  am  not  going  to  moralize.  Mr.  Nugent  was 
appointed  a  commissioner,  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States,  to  settle  the  various  difficulties  which  had  grown 
up  between  the  miners  and  Governor  Douglass.  He  ar- 
rived at  Victoria  in  time  to  perform  signal  service  to  his 
fellow-citizens ;  that  is  to  say,  he  found  many  of  them  in 
a  state  of  starvation,  and  sent  them  back  to  California  at 
public  expense.  Frazer  River,  always  too  high  for  min- 
ing purposes,  could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  subside. 
Its  banks  were  not  banks  of  issue,  nor  were  its  beds 
stuffed  with  the  feathers  of  the  Golden  Goose.  Had  it 
not  been  for  this  turn  of  affairs,  it  is  difficult  to  say  what 
would  have  been  the  result.  The  British  Lion  had  been 
slumbering  undisturbed  at  Victoria  for  half  a  century, 
and  was  very  much  astonished,  upon  waking  up,  to  find 
thirty  thousand  semi -barbarous  Californians  scattered 


318 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


broadcast  over  the  British  possessions.  Governor  Doug- 
lass issued  manifestoes  in  vain.  He  evidently  thought  it 
no  joke.  The  subject  eventually  became  a  matter  of 
diplomatic  correspondence,  in  which  much  ink  was  shed, 
but  fortunately  no  blood,  although  the  subsequent  seiz- 
ure of  San  Juan  by  General  Harney  came  very  near  pro- 
lucing  that  result. 


BETtTBNED  FEOM  FRAZEK  R1TEK. 


The  steamers,  in  due  course  of  time,  began  to  return 
crowded  with  enterprising  miners,  who  still  believed  there 
was  gold  there  if  the  river  would  only  fall.  But  gener- 
osity dictates  that  I  should  say  no  more  on  this  point. 
It  is  enough  to  add,  that  the  time  arrived  when  it  be- 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


319 


came  a  matter  of  personal  offense  to  ask  any  spirited  gen- 
tleman if  he  had  been  to  Frazer  River. 

There  was  now,  of  course,  an  end  to  all  mining  excite- 
ments. It  could  never  again  happen  that  such  an  impo- 
sition could  be  practiced  upon  public  credulity.  In  the 
whole  state  there  was  not  another  sheep  that  could  be 
gulled  by  the  cry  of  wolf.  Business  would  now  resume 
its  steady  and  legitimate  course.  Property  would  cease 
to  fluctuate  in  value.  Every  branch  of  industry  would 
become  fixed  upon  a  permanent  and  reliable  basis.  All 
these  excitements  wete  the  natural  results  of  the  daring 
and  enterprising  character  of  the  people.  But  now,  hav- 
ing worked  off  their  superabundant  steam,  they  would 
be  prepared  to  go  ahead  systematically,  and  develop 
those  resources  which  they  had  hitherto  neglected.  It 
was  a  course  of  medical  effervescence  highly  beneficial 
to  the  body  politic.  All  morbid  appetite  for  sudden 
wealth  was  now  gone  forever. 

But  softly,  good  friends !  What  rumor  is  this  ? 
Whence  come  these  silvery  strains  that  are  wafted  to 
our  ears  from  the  passes  of  the  Sierra  Nevada?  What 
dulcet  iEolian  harmonies — what  divine,  enchanting  rav- 
ishment is  it 

"That  with  these  raptures  moves  the  vocal  air?" 

As  I  live,  it  is  a  cry  of  Silver !  Silver  in  Washoe  !  Not 
gold  now,  you  silly  men  of  Gold  Bluff;  you  Kern  River- 
ites;  you  daring  explorers  of  British  Columbia!  But 
Silver  —  solid,  pure  Silver!  Beds  of  it  ten  thousand 
feet  deep!  Acres  of  it!  miles  of  it!  hundreds  of  mil- 
lions of  dollars  poking  their  backs  up  out  of  the  earth 
ready  to  be  pocketed  ! 

Do  you  speak  of  the  mines  of  Potosi  or  Golconda  ?" 
Do  you  dare  to  quote  the  learned  Baron  Von  Tschudi 
on  South  America  and  Mexico?  Do  you  refer  me  to 
the  ransom  of  Atahualpa,  the  unfortunate  Inca,  in  the 
days  of  Pizarro?  Nothing  at  all,  I  assure  you,  to  the 
silver  mines  of  Washoe !    "  Sir,"  said  my  informant  to 


320 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


me,  in  strict  confidence,  no  later  than  this  morning,  "  you 
may  rely  upon  it,  for  I  am  personally  acquainted  with  a 
brother  of  the  gentleman  whose  most  intimate  friend 
saw  the  man  whose  partner  has  just  come  over  the 
mountains,  and  he  says  there  never  was  the  like  on  the 
face  of  the  earth !  The  ledges  are  ten  thousand  feet 
deep  —  solid  masses  of  silver.  Let  us  be  off!  Now  is 
the  time!  A  pack-mule,  pick  and  shovel,  hammer  and 
frying-pan  will  do.  You  need  nothing  more.  Hurrah 
for  Washoe  !" 

Kind  and  sympathizing  reader",  imagine  a  man  who 
for  six  years  had  faithfully  served  his  government  and 
his  country  ;  who  had  never,  if  he  knew  himself  inti- 
mately, embezzled  a  dollar  of  the  public  funds ;  who  had 
resisted  the  seductive  influences  of  Gold  Bluff,  Kern,  and 
Frazer  Rivers  from  the  purest  motives  of  patriotism; 
who  scorned  to  abandon  his  post  in  search  of  filthy  lucre 
— imagine  such  a  personage  cut  short  in  his  official  ca- 
reer, and  suddenly  bereft  of  his  per  diem  by  a  formal 
and  sarcastic  note  of  three  lines  from  head-quarters; 
then  fancy  you  hear  him  jingle  the  last  of  his  federal 
emoluments  in  his  pocket,  and  sigh  at  the  ingratitude 
of  republics.  Would  you  not  consider  him  open  to 
any  proposition  short  of  murder  or  highway  robbery? 
Would  you  be  surprised  if  he  accepted  an  invitation 
from  Mr.  Wise,  the  aeronaut,  to  take  a  voyage  in  a  bal- 
loon ?  or  the  berth  of  assistant  manager  in  a  diving-bell  ? 
or  joined  the  first  expedition  in  search  of  the  treasure 
buried  by  the  Spanish  galleon  on  her  voyage  to  Acapul- 
co  in  1578?  Then  consider  his  position,  as  he  stands 
musing  upon  the  mutability  of  human  affairs,  when 
those  strange  and  inspiring  cries  of  Washoe  fall  upon 
his  ears  for  the  first  time,  with  a  realizing  sense  of  their 
import.  Borne  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  from  the  Sierra 
Nevada;  wafted  through  every  street,  lane,  and  alley  of 
San  Francisco  ;  whirling  around  the  drinking  saloons, 
eddying  over  the  counters  of  the  banking  offices,  scatter- 
ing up  the  dust  among  the  Front  Street  merchants, 


322 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


arousing  the  slumbering  inmates  of  the  Custom-house — 
what  man  of  enterprise  could  resist  it  ?  Washoe  !  The 
Comstock  lead !  The  Ophir !  The  Central— The  Billy 
Choller  Companies,  and  a  thousand  others,  indicating  in 
trumpet-tones  the  high  road  to  fortune!  From  the 
crack  of  day  to  the  shades  of  night  nothing  is  heard  but 
Washoe.  The  steady  men  of  San  Francisco  are  aroused, 
the  men  of  Front  Street,  the  gunny-bag  men,  the  brokers, 
the  gamblers,  the  butchers,  the  bakers,  the  whisky-deal- 
ers, the  lawyers,  and  all.  The  exception  was  to  find  a 
sane  man  in  the  entire  city. 

No  wonder  the  abstracted  personage  already  referred 
to  was  aroused  from  his  gloomy  reflections.  A  friend 
appealed  to  him  to  go  to  Washoe.  The  friend  was  in- 
terested there,  but  could  not  go  himself.  It  was  a  mat- 
ter of  incalculable  importance.  Millions  were  involved 
in  it.  He  (the  friend)  would  pay  expenses.  The  busi- 
ness would  not  occupy  a  week,  and  would  not  interfere 
with  any  other  business. 


CHAPTER  II. 

START  FOR  WASHOE. 

Next  day  an  advertisement  appeared  in  the  city  pa- 
pers respectfully  inviting  the  public  to  commit  their 
qlaims  and  investments  to  the  hands  of  their  fellow-citi- 
zen, Mr.  Yusef  Badra,  whose  long  experience  in  govern- 
ment affairs  eminently  qualified  him  to  undertake  the 
task  of  geological  research.  He  was  especially  prepared 
to  determine  the  exact  amount  of  silver  contained  in 
fossils.  It  would  afford  him  pleasure  to  be  of  service  to 
his  friends  and  fellow-citizens.  The  public  would  be 
so  kind  as  to  address  Mr.  Badra,  at  Carson  City,  Terri- 
tory of  Utah. 

This  looked  like  business  on  an  extensive  scale.  It 
read  like  business  of  a  scientific  character.    It  was  a  card 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE.  323 

drawn  up  with  skill,  and  calculated  to  attract  attention. 
I  am  proud  to  acknowledge  that  I  am  the  author,  and, 
furthermore  (if  you  will  consider  the  information  confi- 
dential), that  I  am  the  identical  agent  referred  to. 


THE  AGENCY. 


Many  good  friends  shook  their  heads  when  I  an- 
nounced my  intention  of  visiting  Washoe,  and,  although 
they  designed  going  themselves  as  soon  as  the  snow  was 
melted  from  the  mountains,  they  could  not  understand 
how  a  person  who  had  so  long  retained  his  faculties  un- 
impaired could  give  up  a  lucrative  government  office 
and  engage  in  such  a  wild-goose  chase  as  that.  Little 
did  they  know  of  the  brief  but  irritating  document 
which  I  carried  in  my  pocket,  and  for  which  I  am  de- 


324 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


ter mined  some  day  or  other  to  write  a  satire  against 
our  system  of  government.  I  bade  them  a  kindly  fare- 
well, and  on  a  fine  evening,  toward  the  latter  part  of 
March,  took  my  departure  for  Sacramento,  there  to  take 
the  stage  for  Placer ville,  and  from  that  point  as  fortune 
might  direct. 

My  stock  in  trade  consisted  of  two  pair  of  blankets,  a 
spare  shirt,  a  plug  of  tobacco,  a  note-book,  and  a  paint- 
box. On  my  arrival  in  Placerville  I  found  the  whole 
town  in  commotion.  There  was  not  an  animal  to  be  had 
at  any  of  the  stables  without  applying  three  days  in  ad- 
vance. The  stage  for  Strawberry  had  made  its  last  trip 
in  consequence  of  the  bad  condition  of  the  road.  Every 
hotel  and  restaurant  was  full  to  overflowing.  The  streets 
were  blocked  up  with  crowds  of  adventurers  all  bound 
for  Washoe.  The  gambling  and  drinking  saloons  were 
crammed  to  suffocation  with  customers  practicing  for 
Washoe.  The  clothing  stores  were  covered  with  pla- 
cards offering  to  sell  goods  at  ruinous  sacrifices  to  Wash- 
oe miners.  The  forwarding  houses  and  express  offices 
were  overflowing  with  goods  and  packages  marked  for 
Washoe.  The  grocery  stores  were  making  up  boxes, 
bags,  and  bundles  of  groceries  for  the  Washoe  trade. 
The  stables  were  constantly  starting  off  passenger  and 
pack  trains  for  Washoe.  Mexican  vaqueros  were  driv- 
ing headstrong  mules  through  the  streets  on  the  road  to 
Washoe.  The  newspapers  were  full  of  Washoe.  In 
short,  there  was  nothing  but  Washoe  to  be  seen,  heard, 
or  thought  of.  Every  arrival  from  the  mountains  con- 
firmed the  glad  tidings  that  enormous  quantities  of  sil- 
ver were  being  discovered  daily  in  Washoe.  Any  man 
who  wanted  a  fortune  needed  only  to  go  over  there  and 
pick  it  up.  There  was  Jack  Smith,  who  made  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  the  other  day  at  a  single  trade;  and  Tom 
Jenkins,  twenty  thousand  by  right  of  discovery;  and 
Bill  Brown,  forty  thousand  in  the  tavern  business,  and 
so  on.  Every  body  was  getting  rich  "hand  over  fist." 
It  was  the  place  for  fortunes.    No  man  could  go  amiss. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


325 


I  was  in  search  of  just  such  a  place.  It  suited  me  to 
find  a  fortune  ready  made.  Like  Professor  Agassiz,  I 
could  not  afford  to  make  money,  but  it  would  be  no  in- 
convenience to  draw  a  check  on  the  great  Washoe  de- 
pository for  fifty  thousand  dollars  or  so,  and  proceed  on 
my  travels.  I  would  visit  Japan,  ascend  the  Amoor 
River,  traverse  Tartary,  spend  a  few  weeks  in  Siberia, 
rest  a  day  or  so  at  St.  Petersburg,  cross  through  Russia 
to  the  Black  Sea,  visit  Persia,  Nineveh,  and  Bagdad,  and 
wind  up  somewhere  in  Italy.  I  even  began  to  look 
about  the  bar-rooms  for  a  map  in  order  to  lay  out  the 
route  more  definitely,  but  the  only  map  to  be  seen  was 
De  Groot's  outline  of  the  route  from  Placerville  to  Wash- 
oe. I  went  to  bed  rather  tired  after  the  excitement  of 
the  day,  and  somewhat  surfeited  with  Washoe.  Pres- 
ently I  heard  a  tap  at  the  door;  a  head  was  popped 
through  the  opening : 

"I  say,  Cap!" 

"  Well,  what  do  you  say  ?" 

"Are  you  the  man  that  can't  get  a  animal  for  Wash- 
oe ?" 

"Yes;  have  you  got  one  to  sell  or  hire?" 

"  No,  I  hain't  got  one  myself,  but  me  and  my  pardner 
is  going  to  walk  there,  and  if  you  like  you  can  jine  our 
party." 

"Thank  you;  I  have  a  friend  who  is  going  with  me, 
but  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  have  more  company." 
"All  right,  Cap;  good-night." 
The  door  was  closed,  but  presently  opened  again : 
"  I  say,  Cap !" 
"  What  now  ?" 

"  Do  you  believe  in  Washoe  ?" 
"  Of  course ;  why  not  ?" 

"  Well,  I  suppose  it's  all  right.  Good-night ;  I'm  in." 
And  my  new  friend  left  me  to  my  slumbers. 

But  who  could  slumber  in  such  a  bedlam,  where 
scores  and  hundreds  of  crack-brained  people  kept  rush- 
ing up  and  down  the  passage  all  night,  in  and  out  of 


320 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


every  room,  banging  the  doors  after  them,  calling  for 
boots,  carpet  sacks,  cards,  cocktails,  and  toddies;  while 


amid  the  ceaseless  din  arose  ever  and  anon  that  potent 
cry  of  "  Washoe !"  which  had  unsettled  every  brain.  I 
turned  over  and  over  for  the  fiftieth  time,  and  at  length 
fell  into  an  uneasy  doze.  A  mountain  seemed  to  rise  be- 
fore me.  Millions  of  rats  with  human  faces  were  climb- 
ing up  its  sides,  some  burrowing  into  holes,  some  rolling 
down  into  bottomless  pits,  but  all  labeled  Washoe. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


327 


Soon  the  mountain  began  to  shake  its  sides  with  sup- 
pressed laughter,  and  out  of  a  volcano  on  the  top  burst 
sheets  of  flame,  through  which  jumped  ten  thousand 
grotesque  figures  in  the  shape  of  dollars  with  spicier 
legs,  shrieking  with  all  their  might,  "  Washoe !  ho !  ho ! 
Washoe!  ho!  ho!" 


Surely  the  sounds  were  wonderfully  real.    Tap,  tap, 
at  the  door. 
"  I  say,  Cap !" 
"Well,  what  is  it?" 

"  'Bout  time  to  get  up,  if  you  calklate  to  make  Pete's 
ranch  to-night." 

So  I  got  up,  and,  after  a  cup  of  coffee,  took  a  ramble 
on  the  heights,  where  I  was  amply  compensated  for  my 
loss  of  rest  by  the  richness  and  beauty  of  the  sunrise. 
It  was  still  early  spring;  the  hills  were  covered  with 
verdure ;  flowers  bloomed  in  all  directions ;  pleasant  lit- 
tle cottages,  scattered  here  and  there,  gave  a  civilized 
aspect  to  the  scene ;  and  when  I  looked  over  the  busy 
town,  and  heard  the  lively  rattle  of  stages,  wagons,  and 
buggies,  and  saw  the  long  pack-trains  winding  their  way 
up  the  mountains,  I  felt  proud  of  California  and  her  peo- 
ple. There  is  not  a  prettier  little  town  in  the  state  than 
Placerville,  and  certainly  not  a  better  class  of  people  any 
where  than  her  thriving  inhabitants.  They  seemed,  in- 
deed, to  be  so  well  satisfied  with  their  own  mining  pros- 
pects that  they  were  the  least  excited  of  the  crowd  on 
the  subject  of  the  new  discoveries.  The  impulse  given 
to  business  in  the  town,  however,  was  well  calculated  to 
afford  them  satisfaction.    This  was  the  last  depot  of 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


trade  on  the  way  to  Washoe.  My  excellent  friend  Dan 
Gelwicks,  of  the  Mountain  Democrat,  assured  me  that 
he  was  perfectly  satisfied  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his 
days  in  Placerville.  Who  that  has  ever  visited  the 
mountains,  or  attended  a  political  convention  in  Sacra- 
mento, does  not  know  the  immortal  "  Dan" — the  truest, 
best-hearted,  handsomest  fellow  in  existence ;  the  very 
cream  and  essence  of  a  country  editor;  who  dresses  as 
he  pleases,  chews  tobacco  when  he  pleases,  writes  tre- 
mendous political  philippics,  knows  every  body,  trusts 
every  body,  sets  up  his  own  editorials,  and  on  occasions 
stands  ready  to  do  the  job  and  press  work!  I  am  in- 
debted to  "  Dan"  for  the  free  use  of  his  sanctum  ;  and 
in  consideration  of  his  kindness  and  hospitality,  do  here- 
by transfer  to  him  all  my  right,  title,  and  interest  in  the 
Roaring  Jack  Claim,  Wild-Cat  Ledge,  Devil's  Gate, 
which  by  this  time  must  be  worth  ten  thousand  dollars 
a  foot. 

Before  we  were  quite  ready  to  start  our  party  had  in- 
creased to  five ;  but  as  each  had  to  purchase  a  knife,  tin 
cup,  pound  of  cheese,  or  some  other  article  of  luxury,  it 
was  ten  o'clock  before  we  got  fairly  under  way.  And 
here  I  must  say  that,  although  our  appearance  as  we 
passed  along  the  main  street  of  Placerville  elicited  no 
higher  token  of  admiration  than  "  Go  it,  Washoe !"  such 
a  party,  habited  and  accoutred  as  we  were,  would  have 
made  a  profound  sensation  in  Hyde  Park,  London,  or 
even  on  Broadway,  New  York. 

The  road  was  in  good  condition,  barring  a  little  mud 
in  the  neighborhood  of  "  Hangtown ;"  and  the  day  was 
exceedingly  bright  and  pleasant.  As  I  ascended  the 
first  considerable  elevation  in  the  succession  of  heights 
which  extend  all  the  way  for  a  distance  of  fifty  miles  to 
the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and  cast  a  look  back 
over  the  foot-hills,  a  more  glorious  scene  of  gigantic  for- 
ests, open  valleys,  and  winding  streams  seldom  greeted 
my  vision.  The  air  was  singularly  pure  and  bracing; 
every  draught  of  it  was  equal  to  a  glass  of  sparkling 


330 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


Champagne.  At  intervals,  varying  from  fifty  yards  to 
half  a  mile,  streams  of  water  of  crystal  clearness  and  icy 
coolness  burst  from  the  mountain  sides,  making  a  pleas- 
ant music  as  they  crossed  the  road.  Whether  the  day 
was  uncommonly  warm,  or  the  exercise  rather  heating, 
or  the  packs  very  heavy,  it  was  beyond  doubt  some  of 
the  party  were  afflicted  with  a  chronic  thirst,  for  they 
stopped  to  drink  at  every  spring  and  rivulet  on  the  way, 
giving  rise  to  a  suspicion  in  my  mind  that  they  had  not 
been  much  accustomed  to  that  wholesome  beverage  of 
late.  This  suspicion  was  strengthened  by  a  mysterious 
circumstance.  I  had  lagged  behind  at  a  turn  of  the 
road  to  adjust  my  pack,  when  I  was  approached  by  the 
unique  personage  whose  head  in  the  doorway  had  start- 
led me  the  night  before. 

"  I  say,  Cap !"  At  the  same  time  pulling  from  the 
folds  of  his  blanket  a  dangerous-looking  "  pocket  pistol," 
he  put  the  muzzle  to  his  mouth,  and  discharged  the  main 
portion  of  the  contents  down  his  throat. 

"What  d'ye  say,  Cap?" 

Now  I  claim  to  be  under  no  legal  obligation  to  state 
what  I  said  or  did  on  that  occasion ;  but  this  much  I  am 
willing  to  avow,  that  upon  resuming  our  journey  there 
was  a  glorious  sense  of  freedom  and  independence  in  our 
adventurous  mode  of  life.  The  fresh  air,  odorous  with 
the  scent  of  pine  forests  and  wild  flowers;  the  craggy 
rocks  overhung  with  the  grape  and  the  morning-glory ; 
the  merry  shouts  of  the  Mexican  vaqaeros,  mingled  with 
the  wild  dashing  of  the  river  down  the  canon  on  our 
right ;  the  free  exercise  of  every  muscle  ;  the  conscious- 
ness of  exemption  from  all  farther  restraints  of  office, 
were  absolutely  inspiring.  I  think  a  lyrical  poem  would 
not  have  exceeded  my  powers  on  that  occasion.  Every 
faculty  seemed  invigorated  to  the  highest  pitch  of  per- 
fection. Hang  the  dignity  of  office!  A  murrain  upon 
party  politicians  and  inspector  generals!  To  the  bot- 
tomless pit  with  all  vouchers,  abstracts,  and  accounts 
current !    I  scorn  that  meagre  and  brainless  style  of  the 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE.  331 


THE  POCKET  PISTOL. 


heads  of  the  Executive  Departments,  "  Sir, — Your  serv- 
ices are  no  longer — "  What  dunce  could  not  write  a 
more  copious  letter  than  that  ?  Who  would  be  a  slave 
when  all  nature  calls  upon  him  in  trumpet  tones  to  be 
free  ?  Who  would  sell  his  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pot- 
tage when  he  could  lead  the  life  of  an  honest  miner 
— earn  his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow — breathe  the 


332 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


fresh  air  of  heaven  without  stint  or  limit  ?  And  of  all 
miners  in  the  world,  who  would  not  be  a  Washoe  min- 
er? Beyond  question,  this  was  a  condition  of  mind  to 
be  envied  and  admired ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  two 
pair  of  heavy  blankets  on  my  back,  and  a  stiff  pair  of 
boots  on  my  feet  that  galled  my  ankles  most  grievously, 
I  really  felt  lighter  and  brighter  than  for  years  past. 
Nor  did  it  seem  surprising  to  me  then  that  so  many 
restless  men  should  abandon  the  haunts  of  civilization, 
and  seek  variety  and  freedom  in  the  wilderness  of  rug- 
ged mountains  comprising  the  mining  districts  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada.  The  life  of  the  miner  is  one  of  labor, 
peril,  and  exposure  ;  but  it  possesses  the  fascinating  ele- 
ment of  liberty,  and  the  promise  of  unlimited  reward. 
In  the  midst  of  privations,  amounting,  at  times,  to  the 
verge  of  starvation,  what  glowing  visions  fill  the  mind 
of  the  toiling  adventurer !  Richer  in  anticipation  than 
the  richest  of  his  fellow-beings,  he  builds  golden  palaces, 
and  scatters  them  over  the  wrorld  with  a  princely  hand. 
He  may  not  be  a  man  of  imagination ;  but  in  the  secret 
depths  of  his  soul  there  is  a  latent  hope  that  some  day 
or  other  he  will  strike  a  "lead,"  and  who  knows  but  it 
may  be  a  solid  mountain  of  gold,  spangled  with  dia- 
monds ? 

The  road  from  Placerville  to  Strawberry  Flat  is  for 
the  most  part  graded,  and  no  doubt  is  a  very  good  road 
in  summer ;  but  it  wTould  be  a  violation  of  conscience  to 
recommend  it  in  the  month  of  April.  The  melting  of 
the  accumulated  snows  of  the  past  winter  had  partially 
washed  it  away,  and  what  remained  was  deeply  furrowed 
by  the  innumerable  streams  that  sought  an  outlet  in  the 
ravines.  In  many  places  it  seemed  absolutely  impracti- 
cable for  wheeled  vehicles ;  but  it  is  an  article  of  faith 
with  California  teamsters  that  wrherever  a  horse  can  go 
a  wagon  can  follow.  There  were  some  exceptions  to 
this  rule,  however,  for  the  road  was  literally  lined  with 
broken-down  stages,  wagons,  and  carts,  presenting  every 
variety  of  aspect,  from  the  general  smash-up  to  the  ordi- 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


333 


nary  capsize.  Wheels  had  taken  rectangular  cuts  to  the 
bottom  ;  broken  tongues  projected  from  the  mud  ;  loads 
of  dry-goods  and  whisky-barrels  lay  wallowing  in  the 
general  wreck  of  matter ;  stout  beams  cut  from  the  road- 
side were  scattered  here  and  there,  having  served  in 
vain  efforts  to  extricate  the  wagons  from  the  oozy  mire. 
Occasionally  these  patches  of  bad  road  extended  for 
miles,  and  here  the  scenes  were  stirring  in  the  highest 
degree.  Whole  trains  of  pack-mules  struggled  frantic- 
ally to  make  the  transit  from  one  dry  point  to  another  ; 
"burros,"  heavily  laden,  were  frequently  buried  up  to 


334 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


the  neck,  and  had  to  be  hauled  out  by  main  force.  Now 
and  then  an  enterprising  mule  would  emerge  from  the 
mud,  and,  by  attempting  to  keep  the  edge  of  the  road, 
lose  his  foothold,  and  go  rolling  to  the  bottom  of  the 
canon,  pack  and  all.  Amid  the  confusion  worse  con- 
founded, the  cries  and  maledictions  of  the  vaqueros  were 
perfectly  overwhelming ;  but  when  the  mules  stuck  fast 
in  the  mud,  and  it  became  necessary  to  unpack  them, 
then  it  was  that  the  vaqueros  shone  out  most  luminous- 
ly. They  shouted,  swore,  beat  the  mules,  kicked  them, 
pulled  them,  pushed  them,  swore  again ;  and  when  all 
these  resources  failed,  tore  their  hair,  and  resorted  to 
prayer  and  meditation.  Opposite  is  a  faint  attempt  at 
the  vaquero  sliding-scale. 

It  will  doubtless  be  a  consolation  to  some  of  these  un- 
happy vaqueros  to  know  that  such  of  their  mules  as  they 
failed  to  extricate  from  the  mud  during  the  winter  may, 
during  the  approaching  summer,  find  their  way  out 
through  the  cracks.  Should  any  future  traveler  be  over- 
taken by  thirst,  and  see  a  pair  of  ears  growing  out  of 
the  road,  he  will  be  safe  in  digging  there,  for  underneath 
stands  a  mule,  and  on  the  back  of  that  mule  is  a  barrel 
of  whisky. 


WHI8KY  BELOW. 


336 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


Owing  to  repeated  stoppages  on  the  way,  night  over- 
took us  at  a  place  called  "  Dirty  Mike's.';  Here  we 
found  a  ruinously  dilapidated  frame  shanty,  the  bar,  of 
course,  being  the  main  feature.  Next  to  the  bar  was 
the  public  bedroom,  in  which  there  was  every  accommo- 
dation except  beds,  bedding,  chairs,  tables,  and  wash- 
stands  ;  that  is  to  say,  there  was  a  piece  of  looking-glass 
nailed  against  the  window-frame,  and  the  general  comb 
and  tooth-brush  hanging  by  strings  from  a  neighboring 
post. 

A  very  good  supper  of  pork  and  beans,  fried  potatoes, 
and  coffee,  was  served  up  for  us  on  very  dirty  plates,  by 
Mike's  cook  ;  and  after  doing  it  ample  justice,  we  turned 
in  on  our  blankets  and  slept  soundly  till  morning.  It 
was  much  in  favor  of  our  landlord  that  he  charged  us 
only  double  the  customary  price.  I  would  cheerfully 
give  him  a  recommendation  if  he  would  only  wash  his 
face  and  his  plates  once  or  twice  a  week. 

The  ascent  of  the  mountains  is  gradual  and  continu- 
ous the  entire  distance  to  Strawberry.  After  the  first 
day's  journey  there  is  but  little  variety  in  the  scenery. 
On  the  right,  a  fork  of  the  American  River  plunges  down 
through  a  winding  canon,  its  force  and  volume  augment- 
ed at  short  intervals  by  numerous  smaller  streams  that 
cross  the  road,  and  by  others  from  the  opposite  side. 
Thick  forests  of  pine  loom  up  on  each  side,  their  tops 
obscuring  the  sky.  A  few  patches  of  snow  lay  along 
our  route  on  the  first  day,  but  on  the  second  snow  was 
visible  on  both  sides  of  the  canon. 

The  succession  of  scenes  along  the  road  afforded  us 
constant  entertainment.  In  every  gulch  and  ravine  a 
tavern  was  in  process  of  erection.  Scarcely  a  foot  of 
ground  upon  which  man  or  beast  could  find  a  foothold 
was  exempt  from  a  claim.  There  were  even  bars  with 
liquors,  offering  a  tempting  place  of  refreshment  to  the 
weary  traveler  where  no  vestige  of  a  house  was  yet  per- 
ceptible. Board  and  lodging  signs  over  tents  not  more 
than  ten  feet  square  were  as  common  as  blackberries  in 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


337 


BOAKD  AND  LODGING. 


June;  and  on  no  part  of  the  road  was  there  the  least 
chance  of  suffering  from  the  want  of  whisky,  dry-goods, 
or  cigars. 

An  almost  continuous  string  of  Washoeites  stretched 
"  like  a  great  snake  dragging  its  slow  length  along"  as  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach.  In  the  course  of  this  day's  tramp 
we  passed  parties  of  every  description  and  color :  Irish- 

P 


338 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


men,  wheeling  their  blankets,  provisions,  and  mining  im- 
plements on  wheel-barrows;  American,  French,  and 
German  foot-passengers,  leading  heavily-laden  horses, 
or  carrying  their  packs  on  their  backs,  and  their  picks 
and  shovels  slung  across  their  shoulders;  Mexicans, 
driving  long  trains  of  pack-mules,  and  swearing  fearful- 
ly, as  usual,  to  keep  them  in  order ;  dapper-looking  gen- 
tlemen, apparently  from  San  Francisco,  mounted  on  fan- 
cy horses ;  women,  in  men's  clothes,  mounted  on  mules 
or  "  burros ;"  Pike  County  specimens,  seated  on  piles  of 
furniture  and  goods  in  great  lumbering  wagons ;  whisky- 
peddlers,  with  their  bar-fixtures  and  whisky  on  mule- 
back,  stopping  now  and  then  to  quench  the  thirst  of  the 
toiling  multitude ;  organ-grinders,  carrying  their  organs ; 
drovers,  riding,  raving,  and  tearing  away  frantically 
through  the  brush  after  droves  of  self-willed  cattle  de- 
signed for  the  shambles;  in  short,  every  imaginable 
class,  and  every  possible  species  of  industry,  was  repre- 
sented in  this  moving  pageant.  It  was  a  striking  and 
impressive  spectacle  to  see,  in  full  competition  with 
youth  and  strength,  the  most  pitiable  specimens  of  age 
and  decay — white-haired  old  men,  gasping  for  breath  as 
they  dragged  their  palsied  limbs  after  them  in  the  excit- 
ing race  of  avarice;  cripples  and  hunchbacks;  even  sick 
men  from  their  beds — all  stark  mad  for  silver. 

But  the  tide  was  not  setting  entirely  in  the  direction 
of  Carson  Valley.  A  counter-current  opposed  our  prog- 
ress in  the  shape  of  saddle-trains  without  riders,  long 
lines  of  pack-mules  laden  with  silver  ore,  scattering  par- 
ties of  weather-beaten  and  foot-sore  pedestrians,  bearing 
their  hard  experience  in  their  faces,  and  solitary  strag- 
glers, of  all  ages  and  degrees,  mounted  on  skeleton 
horses,  or  toiling  wearily  homeward  on  foot — some  mer- 
ry, some  sad,  some  eagerly  intent  on  farther  speculation, 
but  all  bearing  the  unmistakable  impress  of  Washoe. 

Among  the  latter,  a  lank,  leathery-looking  fellow, 
doubtless  from  the  land  of  wooden  nutmegs,  was  sham- 
bling along  through  the  mud,  talking  to  himself  appar- 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


339 


ently  for  want  of  more  congenial  fellowship.  I  was 
about  to  pass  him,  when  he  arrested  my  attention  : 

"  Look  here,  stranger !" 

I  looked. 

"  You're  bound  for  Washoe,  I  reckon  ?" 
I  was  bound  for  Washoe. 

"  What  line  of  business  be  you  goin'  into  there  ?" 
Was  not  quite  certain,  but  thought  it  would  be  the 
agency  line. 


GBINDBTONES. 


340 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


uHo!  the  agency  line — stage-agent, maybe?  Burche's 
line,  I  guess  ?" 

That  was  not  it  exactly ;  but  no  matter.  Perhaps  I 
could  do  something  for  him  in  Washoe. 

"Nothing,  stranger,  except  to  keep  dark.  Do  you 
know  the  price  of  grindstones  in  Placerville  ?" 

I  didn't  know  the  price  of  grindstones  in  Placerville, 
but  supposed  they  might  be  cheap,  as  there  were  plenty 
there. 

"That's  my  hand  exactly!"  said  my  friend,  with  an 
inward  chuckle  of  satisfaction.  I  expressed  some  curios- 
ity to  know  in  what  respect  the  matter  of  grindstones 
suited  his  hand  so  well,  when,  looking  cautiously  around, 
he  drew  near,  and  informed  me  confidentially  that  he 
had  struck  a  "good  thing"  in  Washoe.  He  had  only 
been  there  a  month,  and  had  made  a  considerable  pile. 
There  was  a  dreadful  scarcity  of  grindstones  there,  and, 
seeing  that  miners,  carpenters,  and  mechanics  of  all  sorts 
were  hard  up  for  something  to  sharpen  their  tools  on,  he 
had  secured  the  only  grindstone  that  could  be  had,  which 
was  pretty  well  used  up  when  he  got  it.  But  he  rigged 
it  up  ship-shape  and  Bristol  fashion,  and  set  up  a  grind- 
ing business,  which  brought  him  in  from  twenty  to  thir- 
ty dollars  a  day,  till  nothing  was  left  of  the  stone.  Now 
he  was  bound  to  Placerville  in  search  of  a  good  one, 
with  which  he  intended  to  return  immediately.  I  wished 
him  luck  and  proceeded  on  my  way,  wondering  what 
would  turn  up  next. 

It  was  not  long  before  I  was  stopped  by  another  en- 
terprising personage ;  but  this  was  altogether  a  different 
style  of  man.  There  was  something  brisk  and  spruce  in 
his  appearance,  in  spite  of  a  shirt  far  gone  in  rags  and  a 
shock  of  hair  that  had  long  been  a  stranger  to  the  scis- 
sors. What  region  of  country  he  came  from  it  was  im- 
possible to  say.  I  think  he  was  a  cosmopolite,  and  be- 
longed to  the  world  generally. 

"Say,  Colonel !"— this  was  his  style  of  address— "on 
the  way  to  Washoe  ?" 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


3-11 


A  SPECULATOB. 


"Yes." 

"  Excuse  me :  I  have  a  little  list  of  claims  here, 
Colonel,  which  I  would  like  to  show  you ;"  and  he  pulled 
from  his  shirt-pocket  a  greasy  package  of  papers,  which 
he  dexterously  unfolded.  "  Guess  you're  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, Colonel  ?    Here  is — let  me  see — 

200  feet  in  the  Pine  Nut, 
300  feet  in  the  Grizzly  Ledge, 


342 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


150  feet  in  the  Gouge  Eye, 

125  feet  in  the  Wild-Cat, 

100  feet  in  the  Koot-Hog-or-Die, 

50  feet  in  the  Bobtail  Horse, 

25  feet  in  the  Hell  Roaring ; 

and  many  others,  Colonel,  in  the  best  leads.    Now  the 
fact  is,  d'ye  see,  I'm  a  little  hard  up,  and  want  to  make 
a  raise.    I'll  sell  all,  or  a  part,  at  a  considerable  sacrifice 
for  a  small  amount  of  ready  cash." 
"How  much  do  you  want?" 

"  Why,  if  I  could  raise  twenty  dollars  or  so,  it  would 
answer  my  present  purpose ;  I'll  sell  you  twenty  feet  in 
any  of  these  claims  for  that  amount.  Every  foot  of  them 
is  worth  a  thousand  dollars ;  but,  d'ye  see,  they're  not 
yet  developed." 

Circumstances  forced  me  to  decline  this  offer,  much  to 
the  disgust  of  the  enterprising  speculator  in  claims,  who 
assured  me  I  might  go  farther  and  fare  worse ;  but  some- 
how the  names  did  not  strike  me  as  attractive  in  a  min- 
eral point  of  view. 

I  had  by  this  time  lost  the  run  of  all  my  comrades,  and 
was  obliged  to  pursue  my  journey  alone.  Three  had 
gone  ahead,  and  the  other  was  nearly  used  up.  The  day 
had  opened  fairly,  but  now  there  were  indications  of  bad 
weather.  It  was  quite  dark  when  I  reached  a  small 
shanty  about  four  miles  from  Strawberry.  Here  I  halt- 
ed till  my  remaining  comrade  came  up.  The  proprietor 
of  the  shanty  was  going  into  the  tavern  business,  and 
was  engaged  in  building  a  large  clapboard  house.  His 
men  were  all  at  supper,  and  in  reply  to  our  application 
for  lodgings,  he  told  us  we  might  sleep  in  the  calf-pen  if 
we  liked,  but  there  was  no  room  in  the  house.  He 
could  give  us  something  to  eat  after  his  workmen  were 
done  supper,  but  not  before.  He  had  brandy  and  gin, 
but  no  tea  to  spare.  On  the  whole,  he  thought  we  had 
better  go  on  to  Strawberry. 

Now  this  was  encouraging.  It  was  already  pattering 
down  rain,  and  the  calf-pen  to  which  he  directed  us  was 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


343 


knee-deep  in  mud  and  manure,  without  roof  or  shelter  of 
any  kind.  Even  the  unfortunate  progeny  of  the  old  cow, 
which  ran  bellowing  around  the  fence,  in  motherly  solic- 
itude for  her  offspring,  shivered  with  cold,  and  made 
piteous  appeals  to  this  hard-hearted  man.  I  finally 
bribed  him,  by  means  of  a  gold  dollar,  to  let  us  have  a 
small  piece  of  bread  and  a  few  swallows  of  tea.  Thus 
refreshed,  we  resumed  our  journey. 

Four  miles  more  of  slush  and  snow,  up  hill  nearly  all 
the  way,  across  rickety  bridges,  over  roaring  cataracts, 
slippery  rocks,  stumps,  and  brush,  through  acres  of  black 
oozy  mire,  and  so  dark  a  bat  could  scarcely  recognize 
his  own  father !  It  was  a  walk  to  be  remembered.  The 
man  in  the  shanty,  if  he  possess  a  spark  of  humanity,  will, 
I  trust,  feel  bitterly  mortified  when  he  reads  this  article. 
He  caused  me  some  gloomy  reflections  upon  human  na- 
ture, which  have  been  a  constant  source  of  repentance 
ever  since.  But  consider  the  provocation.  The  rain 
poured  down  heavily,  mingled  with  a  cutting  sleet;  a 
doleful  wind  came  moaning  through  the  pines ;  our 
blankets  were  wet  through,  and  not  a  stitch  upon  our 
backs  left  dry;  even  my  spare  shirt  was  soaking  the 
strength  out  of  the  plug  of  tobacco  so  carefully  stowed 
away  in  its  folds,  and  my  paints  were  giving  it  what  aid 
they  could  in  the  way  of  color. 

"Well,  there  is  an  end  to  all  misery  upon  earth,  and  so 
there  was  to  this  day's  walk.  A  light  at  length  glim- 
mered through  the  pines,  first  faint  and  flickering,  then 
a  full  blaze,  then  half  a  dozen  brilliant  lights,  which 
proved  to  be  camp-fires  under  the  trees,  and  soon  we 
stood  in  front  of  a  large  and  substantial  log  house.  This 
was  the  famous  "Strawberry,"  known  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land  as  the  best  stopping-place 
on  the  route  to  Washoe,  and  the  last  station  before  cross- 
ing the  summit  of  the  Sien  a  Nevada.  The  winter  road 
for  wheel-vehicles  here  ended ;  and,  indeed,  it  may  be 
said  to  have  ended  some  distance  below,  for  the  last 
twelve  miles  of  the  road  seemed  utterly  impracticable 


344 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


for  wagons.  At  least,  most  of  those  I  saw  were  fast  in 
the  mud,  and  likely  to  remain  there  till  the  beginning  of 
summer.  Dark  and  rainy  as  it  was,  there  were  crowds 
scattered  around  the  house,  as  if  they  had  some  secret 
and  positive  enjoyment  in  the  contemplation  of  the 
weather.  Edging  our  way  through,  we  found  the  bar- 
room packed  as  closely  as  it  could  be  without  bursting 
out  some  of  the  walls ;  and  of  all  the  motley  gangs  that 
ever  happened  together  within  a  space  of  twenty  feet, 
this  certainly  was  the  most  extraordinary  and  the  most 
motley.  Dilapidated  gentlemen  with  slouched  hats  and 
big  boots,  Jew  peddlers  dripping  wet,  red-shirted  min- 
ers, teamsters,  vaqueros,  packers,  and  traders,  swearing 
horribly  at  nothing;  some  drinking  at  the  bar,  some 
warming  themselves  before  a  tremendous  log  fire  that 
sent  up  a  reeking  steam  from  the  conglomerated  mass 
of  wet  and  muddy  clothes,  to  say  nothing  of  the  boots 
and  socks  that  lay  simmering  near  the  coals.  A  few 
bare  and  sore  footed  outcasts  crouched  down  in  the  cor- 
ners, trying  to  catch  a  nap,  and  here  and  there  a  returned 
Washoeite,  describing  in  graphic  language,  garnished 
with  oaths,  the  wonders  and  beauties  of  Virginia  City. 
But  chiefly  remarkable  in  the  crowd  was  the  regiment 
of  light  infantry,  pressed  in  double  file  against  the  dining- 
room  door,  awaiting  the  fourth  or  fifth  charge  at  the  ta- 
ble. 

At  the  first  tinkle  of  the  bell  the  door  was  burst  open 
with  a  tremendous  crash,  and  for  a  moment  no  battle- 
scene  in  Waterloo,  no  charge  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma  or 
the  heights  of  Chapultepec,  no  Crimean  avalanche  of 
troops  dealing  death  and  destruction  around  them,  could 
have  equaled  the  terrific  onslaught  of  the  gallant  troops 
of  Strawberry.  The  whole  house  actually  tottered  and 
trembled  at  the  concussion,  as  if  shaken  by  an  earth- 
quake. Long  before  the  main  body  had  assaulted  the 
table  the  din  of  arms  was  heard  above  the  general  up- 
roar ;  the  deafening  clatter  of  plates,  knives,  and  forks, 
and  the  dreadful  battle-cry  of  "  Waiter !  waiter!  Pork 


346 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


and  beans!  Coffee,  waiter !  Beefsteak!  Sausages!  Po- 
tatoes !  Ham  and  eggs — quick,  waiter,  for  God's  sake !" 
It  was  a  scene  of  destruction  and  carnage  long  to  be  re- 
membered. I  had  never  before  witnessed  a  battle,  but 
I  now  understood  how  men  could  become  maddened  by 
the  smell  of  blood.  When  the  table  was  vacated  it  pre- 
sented a  shocking  scene  of  desolation.  Whole  dishes 
were  swept  of  their  contents ;  coffee-pots  were  dis- 
charged to  the  dregs ;  knives,  forks,  plates,  and  spoons 
lay  in  a  confused  mass  among  the  bones  and  mutilated 
remnants  of  the  dead  ;  chunks  of  bread  and  hot  biscuit 
were  scattered  broadcast,  and  mince-pies  were  gored 
into  fragments ;  tea-cups  and  saucers  were  capsized ; 
and  the  waiters,  hot,  red,  and  steamy,  were  panting  and 
swearing  after  their  superhuman  labors. 

Half  an  hour  more  and  the  battle-field  was  again 
cleared  for  action.  This  was  the  sixth  assault  commit- 
ted during  the  evening;  but  it  was  none  the  less  terri- 
ble on  that  account.  Inspired  by  hunger,  I  joined  the 
army  of  invaders  this  time,  and  by  gigantic  efforts  of 
strength  maintained  an  honorable  position  in  the  ranks. 
As  the  bell  sounded,  we  broke !  I  fixed  my  eye  on  a 
chair,  rushed  through  the  struggling  mass,  threw  out 
my  hands  frantically  to  seize  it,  but,  alas !  it  was  already 
captured.  A  dark-visaged  man,  who  looked  as  if  he  car- 
ried concealed  weapons  on  his  person,  was  seated  in  it, 
shouting  hoarsely  the  battle-cry  of  "Pork  and  beans! 
Waiter!  Coffee,  waiter!"  Up  and  down  the  table  it 
was  one  gulping  mass,  jaws  distended,  arms  stretched 
out,  knives,  forks,  and  even  the  bare  hands  plunged  into 
the  enemy.  Not  a  spot  was  vacant.  I  venture  to  as- 
sert that  from  the  commencement  of  the  assault  till  the 
capture  and  complete  investment  of  the  fortifications  did 
not  exceed  five  seconds.  The  storming  of  the  Malakoff 
and  the  fall  of  Sebastopol  could  no  longer  claim  a  place 
in  history. 

At  length  fortune  favored  the  brave.  I  got  a  seat  at 
the  next  onslaught,  and  took  ample  satisfaction  for  the 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


347 


delay  by  devouring  such  a  meal  as  none  but  a  hardy 
Washoeite  could  be  expected  to  digest.  Pork  and 
beans,  cabbage,  beef-steak,  sausages,  pies,  tarts,  coffee 
and  tea,  eggs,  etc. — these  were  only  a  few  of  the  luxu- 
ries furnished  by  the  enterprising  proprietor  of  the 
"Strawberry."  May  every  blessing  attend  that  great 
benefactor  of  mankind !  I  say  it  in  all  sincerity  ;  he  is 
a  great  and  good  man,  a  Websterian  innkeeper,  for  he 
thoroughly  understands  the  constitution.  I  would  give 
honorable  mention  to  his  name  if  I  knew  it ;  but  it  mat- 
ters not ;  his  house  so  far  surpasses  the  Metropolitan  or 
the  St.  Nicholas  that  there  is  no  comparison  in  the  relish 
with  which  the  food  is  devoured.  In  respect  to  sleeping 
accommodations  there  may  be  some  difference  in  their 
favor.  I  was  too  late  to  secure  a  bed  in  the  general  bed- 
room up  stairs,  where  two  hundred  and  fifty  tired  way- 
farers were  already  snoring  in  double-shotted  bunks 
2x6;  but  the  landlord  was  a  man  of  inexhaustible  re- 
sources. A  private  whisper  in  his  ear  made  him  a  friend 
forever.  He  nodded  sagaciously,  and  led  me  into  a 
small  parlor  about  15  x20,  in  which  he  gave  my  compa- 
ny of  five  what  he  called  a  "lay-out,"  that  is  to  say,  a 
lay-out  on  the  floor,  with  our  own  blankets  for  beds  and 
covering.  This  was  a  special  favor,  and  I  would  have 
cherished  it  in  my  memory  for  years  had  not  a  suspicion 
been  aroused  in  my  mind  before  the  lapse  of  half  an  hour 
that  there  were  others  in  the  confidence  of  mine  host. 
Scarcely  had  I  entered  upon  the  first  nap  when  some- 
body undertook  to  walk  upon  me,  commencing  on  my 
head  and  ending  on  the  pit  of  my  stomach.  I  grasped 
him  firmly  by  the  leg.  He  apologized  at  once  in  the 
most  abject  manner ;  and  well  for  him  he  did,  for  it  was 
enough  to  incense  any  man  to  be  suddenly  roused  up  in 
that  manner.  The  intruder,  I  discovered,  was  a  Jew 
peddler.  He  offered  me  a  cigar,  which  I  smoked  in  to- 
ken of  amity ;  and  in  the  mean  time  he  turned  in  along- 
side and  smoked  another.  When  daylight  broke  I  cast 
around  me  to  see  what  every  body  was  doing  to  create 


THE  "LAY  OUT." 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


349 


such  a  general  commotion.  I  perceived  that  there  were 
about  forty  sleepers,  all  getting  up.  Boots  strongly 
scented  with  feet,  and  stockings  of  every  possible  degree 
of  odor,  were  lying  loose  in  all  directions ;  blankets, 
packs,  old  clothes,  and  ragged  shirts,  and  I  don't  know 
what  all — a  palpable  violation  of  the  landlord's  implied 
compact.  True,  he  had  not  agreed  to  furnish  a  single 
bed  for  five,  but  he  never  hinted  that  he  was  going  to 
put  forty  men,  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  in  the  same  general 
"lay-out,"  as  he  was  pleased  to  style  it,  and  that  only 


TliE  STOCKING-THIEF. 


350 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


large  enough  for  half  the  number.  Once,  in  Minnesota, 
I  slept  in  a  bed  with  eight,  and  gave  considerable  offense 
to  my  landlord  when  I  remonstrated  against  his  putting 
in  a  ninth.  He  said  he  liked  to  see  a  man  "  accommoda- 
ting"— a  reflection  upon  my  good-nature  which  I  consid- 
ered wholly  unwarranted  by  the  circumstances.  But 
this  was  even  a  stronger  case. 

The  Jew  peddler  had  not  undressed,  and,  not  to  judge 
him  harshly,  I  don't  think  he  ever  did  undress.  He  was 
soon  up,  and  left,  as  I  suppose,  while  I  was  dressing. 
With  him  departed  my  stockings.  They  were  not  very 
fine — perhaps,  considering  the  muddy  road,  not  very 
clean ;  but  they  were  all  I  had,  and  were  valuable  be- 
yond gold  or  silver  in  this  foot-weary  land.  I  never 
saw  them  more.  What  aggravated  the  offense,  when  I 
came  to  review  it  seriously,  was,  that  I  remembered  hav- 
ing seen  him  draw  just  such  a  pair  over  his  boots,  as  a 
protection  against  the  snow,  without  the  remotest  sus- 
picion of  the  great  wrong  he  was  doing  me. 

We  shall  meet  this  Stocking-thief  again. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ACEOSS  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Upon  taking  an  observation  from  the  front  door  at 
Strawberry,  we  were  rather  startled  to  find  that  the 
whole  place  was  covered  with  snow  to  the  depth  of  two 
or  three  feet.  The  pack  trains  had  given  up  all  hope  of 
getting  over  the  mountain.  It  was  snowing  hard,  and 
the  appearance  of  the  weather  was  dark  and  threatening. 
To  be  housed  up  here  with  three  or  four  hundred  men, 
and  the  additional  numbers  that  might  be  expected  be- 
fore night,  was  not  a  pleasant  prospect ;  but  to  be  caught 
in  a  snow-storm  on  the  summit,  where  so  many  had  per- 
ished during  the  past  winter,  was  worse  still.  Upon  re- 
viewing the  chances  I  resolved  to  start,  and  if  the  storm 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


351 


continued  I  thought  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  find- 
ing the  way  back.  It  was  eight  miles  of  a  continuous 
and  precipitous  ascent  to  the  summit,  and  three  miles 
from  that  point  to  the  Lake  House  in  Lake  Valley, 
where  the  accommodations  were  said  to  be  the  worst  on 
the  whole  trail. 

A  few  miles  from  Strawberry  one  of  the  party  gave 
out  in  consequence  of  sore  feet ;  the  other  two  pushed 


THE  TBALL  FKOM  8TBAWBEEEY. 


352 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


on,  despite  the  storm  which  now  raged  fearfully,  but  had 
not  proceeded  far  when  they  were  forced  to  turn  back. 
I  was  loth  to  leave  my  disabled  friend,  and  returned 
with  him  to  Strawberry,  where  we  had  a  repetition  of 
nearly  all  that  has  already  been  described,  only  a  little 
intensified  in  consequence  of  increased  numbers.  The 
others  of  our  party  stopped  somewhere  on  the  road,  and 
I  did  not  meet  them  again  until  next  afternoon  at  Wood- 
ford's, on  the  other  side  of  the  mountain. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light  next  morning  I  took  another 
observation  of  the  weather.  It  was  still  snowing,  but 
not  so  heavily  as  on  the  preceding  day.  My  remaining 
partner  was  by  this  time  completely  crippled  in  his  feet, 
and  had  to  hire  a  horse  at  the  rate  of  twenty  dollars  for 
twenty-five  miles. 

I  was  delayed  some  hours  in  getting  off,  owing  to  the 
pressure  of  the  forces  at  the  breakfast-table,  but  finally 
made  a  fair  start  for  the  summit.  My  pack  had  become 
a  source  of  considerable  inconvenience.  I  was  accus- 
tomed to  walking,  but  not  to  carrying  a  burden  of  twen- 
ty or  twenty-five  pounds.  My  shoulders  and  ankles 
were  so  galled  that  every  step  had  to  be  made  on  the 
nicest  calculation ;  but  the  new  snow  on  top  of  the  old 
trail  began  to  melt  as  soon  as  the  sun  came  out,  making 
a  very  bad  trail  for  pedestrians.  Two  miles  from  Straw- 
berry we  crossed  a  bridge,  and  struck  for  the  summit. 

Here  we  had  need  of  all  our  powers  of  endurance.  It 
was  a  constant  struggle  through  melted  snow  and  mud — 
slipping,  sliding,  grasping,  rolling,  tumbling,  and  climb- 
ing, up  again  and  still  up,  till  it  verily  seemed  as  if  we 
must  be  approaching  the  clouds.  The  most  prominent 
peculiarity  of  these  mountains  is,  that  a  person  on  foot, 
with  a  heavy  load  on  his  back,  is  never  at  the  top  when 
he  imagines  he  is  ;  the  "  divide"  is  always  a  little  farther 
on  and  a  little  higher  up — at  least  until  he  passes  it, 
which  he  does  entirely  ignorant  of  the  fact.  There  is 
really  no  perceptible  "  divide ;"  you  pass  a  series  of  ele- 
vations, and  commence  the  descent  without  any  appar- 
ent difference  in  the  trail. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


353 


The  pack  trains  had  broken  through  the  old  snow  in 
many  places,  leaving  deep  holes,  which,  being  now  par- 
tially covered  with  recent  snow,  proved  to  be  regular 
man-traps,  often  bringing  up  the  unwary  pedestrian  "  all 
standing."  The  sudden  wrenching  of  the  feet  in  the 
smaller  holes,  which  had  been  explored  by  the  legs  of 
horses,  mules,  and  cattle,  was  an  occurrence  of  every  ten 
or  a  dozen  steps.  In  many  places  the  trail  was  perfectly 
honeycombed  with  holes,  where  the  heavily-laden  ani- 
mals had  cut  through  the  snow,  and  it  was  exceedingly 
difficult  to  find  a  foothold.  To  step  on  either  side  and 
avoid  these  bad  places  would  seem  easy  enough,  but  I 
tried  it  on  more  than  one  occasion,  and  got  very  nearly 
buried  alive.  All  along  the  route,  at  intervals  of  a  mile 
or  two,  we  continued  to  meet  pack  trains ;  and  as  every 
body  had  to  give  way  before  them,  the  tumbling  out 
and  plunging  in  the  snow  were  very  lively. 

I  walked  on  rapidly  in  the  hope  of  making  Woodford's 
— the  station  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  mountain — be- 
fore night,  and  by  degrees  got  ahead  of  the  main  body 
of  footmen  who  had  left  Strawberry  that  morning.  In 
a  narrow  gorge,  a  short  distance  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  descent  into  Lake  Valley,  I  happened  to 
look  up  a  little  to  the  right,  where,  to  my  astonishment, 
I  perceived  four  large  brown  wolves  sitting  on  their 
haunches  not  over  twenty  feet  from  me !  They  seemed 
entirely  unconcerned  at  my  presence,  except  in  so  far  as 
they  may  have  indulged  in  some  speculation  as  to  the 
amount  of  flesh  contained  on  my  body.  As  I  was  entire- 
ly unarmed,  I  thought  it  would  be  but  common  polite- 
ness to  speak  to  them,  so  I  gave  them  a  yell  in  the  In- 
dian language.  At  this  they  retired  a  short  distance, 
but  presently  came  back  again  as  if  to  inquire  the  exact 
meaning  of  my  salutation.  I  now  thought  it  best  not  to 
be  too  intimate,  for  I  saw  they  were  getting  rather  fa- 
miliar on  a  short  acquaintance ;  and  picking  up  a  stick 
of  wood,  I  made  a  rush  and  a  yell  at  them  which  must 
have  been  formidable  in  the  extreme.    This  time  they 


354 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


"WE  ABE  WAITING  FOE  YOU." 


retreated  more  rapidly,  and  seemed  undecided  about  re- 
turning. At  this  crisis  in  affairs  a  pack  train  came  along, 
the  driver  of  which  had  a  pistol.  Upon  pointing  out 
the  wolves  to  him  he  fired,  but  missed  them.  They  then 
retreated  up  the  side  of  the  mountain,  and  I  saw  nothing 
more  of  them. 

The  descent  of  the  "  grade"  was  the  next  rough  feat- 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


355 


lire  in  our  day's  journey.  From  the  point  overlooking 
Lake  Valley  the  view  is  exceedingly  fine.  Lake  Bigler 
— a  sheet  of  water  forty  or  fifty  miles  in  length  by  ten 
or  fifteen  wide — lies  embosomed  in  the  mountains  in  full 
view  from  this  elevation  ;  but  there  was  a  drizzling  sleet 
which  obscured  it  on  this  occasion.  I  had  a  fine  sight 
of  it  on  my  return,  however,  and  have  seldom  witnessed 
any  scene  in  Europe  or  elsewhere  to  compare  with  it  in 
extent  and  grandeur. 

The  trail  on  the  grade  was  slippery  with  sleet,  and 
walking  upon  it  was  out  of  the  question.  Running, 
jumping,  and  sliding  were  the  only  modes  of  locomotion 
at  all  practicable.  I  tried  one  of  the  short  cuts,  and 
found  it  an  expeditious  way  of  getting  to  the  bottom. 


A  SHORT  OUT. 


Some  trifling  obstruction  deprived  me  of  the  use  of  my 
feet  at  the  very  start,  after  which  I  traveled  down  in  a 
series  of  gyrations  at  once  picturesque  and  complicated. 
When  I  reached  the  bottom  I  was  entirely  unable  to 
comprehend  how  it  had  all  happened ;  but  there  I  was, 
pack  and  baggage,  all  safely  delivered  in  the  snow — 
bones  sound,  and  free  of  expense. 


356 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


At  the  Lake  House — a  tolerably  good-sized  shanty  at 
the  foot  of  the  grade — we  found  a  large  party  assembled, 
taking  their  ease  as  they  best  could  in  such  a  place, 
without  much  to  eat  and  but  little  to  drink,  except  old- 
fashioned  tarentula-juice,  "warranted  to  kill  at  forty 
paces." 

The  host  of  the  Lake  was  in  a  constant  state  of  nervous 
excitement,  and  did  more  scolding,  swearing,  gouging, 
and  general  hotel  work  in  the  brief  space  of  half  an  hour 
than  any  man  I  ever  saw.  He  seemed  to  be  quite  worn 
out  with  his  run  of  customers — from  a  hundred  to  three 
hundred  of  a  night,  and  nowhere  to  stow  'em — all  cussin' 
at  him  for  not  keepin'  provisions;  and  how  could  he, 
when  they  ate  him  clean  out  every  day,  and  some  of  'em 
never  paid  him,  and  never  will  ? 

I  was  not  sorry  to  get  clear  of  the  Lake  House,  its 
filth,  and  its  troubles. 

Updn  crossing  the  valley,  which  is  here  about  a  mile 
wide,  the  ascent  of  the  next  summit  commences.  Here 
we  had  almost  a  repetition  of  the  main  summit,  except 
that  the  descent  on  the  other  side  is  more  gradual. 

At  length  we  struck  the  beginning  of  Hope  Valley. 
I  shall  always  remember  this  portion  of  the  journey  as 
the  worst  I  ever  traveled  on  foot.  Every  yard  of  the 
trail  was  honeycombed  to  the  depth  of  two  or  three 
feet.  On  the  edges  there  was  no  foothold  at  all;  and 
occasionally  we  had  to  wade  knee-deep  in  black,  sticky 
mire,  from  which  it  was  difficult  to  extricate  one's  feet 
and  boots  at  the  same  time.  I  was  glad  enough  when 
myself  and  two  casual  acquaintances  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing the  solitary  log  house  which  stands  near  the  middle 
of  the  valley. 

I  little  expected  to  find  in  this  wilderness  a  philoso- 
pher of  the  old  school ;  but  here  was  a  man  who  had 
evidently  made  up  his  mind  to  withstand  all  the  allure- 
ments of  wealth,  and  devote  the  remainder  of  his  life  to 
ascetic  reflections  upon  the  follies  of  mankind.  Diogenes 
in  his  tub  was  not  more  rigorous  in  his  seclusion  than 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


357 


this  isolated  inhabitant  of  Hope  Valley.  His  log  cabin, 
to  be  sure,  was  some  improvement,  in  extent,  upon  the 
domicile  of  that  famous  philosopher ;  but  in  point  of 
architectural  style,  I  don't  know  that  there  could  have 
been  much  advantage  either  way. 

A  few  empty  bags,  and  a  bar  entirely  destitute  of  bot- 
tles, with  a  rough  bench  to  sit  upon,  comprised  all  the 
furniture  that  was  visible  to  the  naked  eye.  From  a 
beam  overhead  hung  a  bunch  of  foxskins,  which  emitted 
a  very  gamy  odor ;  and  the  clay  floor  had  apparently 
never  been  swept,  save  by  the  storms  that  had  passed 
over  it  before  the  cabin  was  built.  A  couple  of  rifles 
hung  upon  pegs  projecting  from  the  chimney,  and  a 
powder-flask  was  the  only  mantle-piece  ornament.  Diog- 
enes sat,  or  rather  reclined,  on  the  pile  of  empty  sacks, 
holding  by  the  neck  a  fierce  bull-dog.  The  sanguinary 
propensities  of  this  animal  were  manifested  by  repeated 
attempts  to  break  away,  and  seize  somebody  by  the 
throat  or  the  leg;  not  that  he  growled,  or  snarled,  or 
showed  any  puppyish  symptoms  of  a  trifling  kind,  but 
there  was  a  playful  switching  of  his  tail  and  a  leer  of 
the  eye  uncommonly  vicious  and  tiger-like.  It  certainly 
would  not  have  taken  him  more  than  two  minutes  to 
hamstring  the  stoutest  man  in  the  party. 

Between  the  dog  and  his  master  there  was  a  very 
striking  congeniality  of  disposition,  if  one  might  judge 
by  the  expression  of  their  respective  countenances.  It 
would  apparently  have  taken  but  little  provocation  to 
make  either  of  them  bite. 

Battered  and  bruised  as  we  were,  and  hungry  into  the 
bargain,  after  our  hard  struggle  over  the  mountain,  it 
became  a  matter  of  vital  importance  that  we  should  se- 
cure lodgings  for  the  night,  and,  if  possible,  get  some- 
thing to  eat.  The  place  looked  rather  unpromising; 
but,  after  our  experience  in  Lake  Valley,  we  were  not 
easily  discouraged.  Upon  broaching  the  subject  to  Di- 
ogenes in  the  mildest  possible  manner,  his  brow  dark- 
ened, as  if  a  positive  insult  to  his  common  sense  had 
been  attempted. 


358 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


"  Stay  here  all  night !"  he  repeated,  savagely.  "  What 
the  h — 11  do  you  want  to  stay  here  all  night  for?" 

We  hinted  at  a  disposition  to  sleep,  and  thought  he 
might  possibly  have  room  on  the  floor  for  our  blankets. 

At  this  he  snapped  his  fingers  contemptuously,  and 
muttered,  "Can't  come  that  over  me !  I've  been  here  too 
long  for  that !" 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


359 


"  But  we  are  willing  to  pay  you  whatever  is  fair." 
"Pay?    Who  said  I  wanted  pay?    Do  I  look  like  a 
man  that  wants  money  ?" 
We  thought  not. 

"If  I  wanted  money,"  continued  Diogenes,  "I  could 
have  made  fifty  dollars  a  day  for  the  last  two  months. 
But  I  ask  no  favors  of  the  world.  Some  of  'em  wants 
to  stay  here  whether  I  will  or  no  ;  I  rather  think  I'm  too 
many  for  any  of  that  sort — eh,  Bull,  what  d'ye  say  ?" 
Bull  growled,  with  a  bloodthirsty  meaning.  "  Too  many 
altogether,  gents — me  and  Bull." 

There  was  a  sturdy  independence  about  this  fellow, 
and  a  scorn  for  filthy  lucre  that  rather  astonished  me  as 
a  citizen  of  a  money-loving  state. 

"  Well,  if  you  can't  let  us  stay  all  night,  perhaps  you 
can  get  us  up  a  snack  of  dinner?" 

"Snack  of  dinner?" — and  here  there  was  a  guttural 
chuckle  that  boded  failure  again — "  I  tell  you  this  ain't 
a  tavern  ;  and  if  it  was,  my  cook's  gone  out  to  take  a 
airing." 

"But  have  you  nothing  in  the  house  to  eat  ?" 

"Oh  yes,  there's  a  bunch  of  foxskins.  If  you'd  like 
some  of  'em  cooked,  I'll  bile  'em  for  you." 

This  man's  disposition  had  evidently  been  soured  in 
early  life.  I  think  he  must  have  been  crossed  in  love. 
His  style  had  the  merit  of  being  terse,  but  his  manner 
was  sarcastic  to  the  verge  of  impoliteness. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  we  can  warm  ourselves  at  the  fire  ?" 

"  If  you  can,"  quoth  Diogenes,  "  you  can  do  more  than 
I  can  ;  and  here  he  hauled  his  blanket  over  his  shoulders, 
and  fell  back  on  the  empty  potato  sacks  as  if  there  was 
no  more  to  be  said  on  that  or  any  other  subject. 

The  bull-dog  seemed  to  be  of  the  same  way  of  think- 
ing, and  quietly  laid  down  by  his  master;  still,  however, 
keeping  his  eye  on  us,  as  suspicious  characters. 

Nothing  remained  but  to  push  on  for  Woodford's, 
distant  six  miles. 

Now,  when  you  come  to  put  six  miles  on  the  end  of 


360 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


a  day's  journey  such  as  ours  had  been,  it  becomes  a 
serious  matter.  Besides,  it  was  growing  late,  and  a  ter- 
rific wind,  accompanied  by  a  blinding  sleet,  rendered  it 
scarcely  practicable  to  stand  up,  much  less  to  walk.  I 
do  not  know  how  we  ever  staggered  over  that  six  miles. 
The  last  three,  however,  were  down  hill,  and  not  so  bad, 
as  the  snow  was  pretty  well  gone  from  the  canon  on  the 
approach  to  Woodford's. 

This  is  the  last  station  on  the  way  over  from  Carson, 
and  forms  the  upper  terminus  of  that  valley.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  be  in  Utah,  but  our  landlord  could  not  tell  us 
exactly  where  the  boundary-line  ran. 

We  found  here  several  hundred  people,  bound  in  both 
directions,  and  passed  a  very  rough  night,  trying  to  get 
a  little  sleep  amid  the  motley  and  noisy  crowd. 

I  had  endured  the  journey  thus  far  very  well,  and  had 
gained  considerably  in  strength  and  appetite.  The  next 
day,  however,  upon  striking  into  the  sand  of  Carson  Val- 
ley, my  feet  became  terribly  blistered,  and  the  walking 
was  exceedingly  painful.  There  are  some  good  farms  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  valley,  between  Woodford's  and 
Genoa,  though  the  general  aspect  of  the  country  is  bar- 
ren in  the  extreme. 

By  sundown  I  had  made  only  fifteen  miles,  and  still 
was  three  miles  from  Genoa.  Every  hundred  yards  was 
now  equal  to  a  mile.  At  length  I  found  it  utterly  im- 
possible to  move  another  step.  It  was  quite  dark,  and 
there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  sit  down  on  the  road-side. 
Fortunately,  the  weather  was  comparatively  mild.  As 
I  was  meditating  how  to  pass  the  night,  I  perceived  a 
hot  spring  close  by,  toward  which  I  crept ;  and  finding 
the  water  strongly  impregnated  with  salt,  it  occurred  to 
me  that  it  might  benefit  my  feet.  I  soon  plunged  them 
in,  and  in  half  an  hour  found  them  so  much  improved 
that  I  was  enabled  to  resume  my  journey.  An  hour 
more,  and  I  was  snugly  housed  at  Genoa. 

This  was  a  place  of  some  importance  during  the  time 
of  the  Mormon  settlements,  but  had  not  kept  pace  with 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


361 


Carson  City  in  the  general  improvement  caused  by  the 
recent  discoveries.  At  present  it  contained  a  population 
of  not  more  than  two  or  three  hundred,  chiefly  store- 
keepers, teamsters,  and  workmen  employed  upon  a  neigh- 
boring saw-mill.  The  inhabitants  professed  to  be  rich 
in  silver  leads,  but  upon  an  examination  of  the  records 
to  find  the  lead  in  which  my  San  Francisco  friend  had 
invested,  and  which  was  represented  to  be  in  this  dis- 
trict, I  was  unable  to  find  any  trace  of  it ;  and  there  was 
no  such  name  as  that  of  the  alleged  owner  known  or 
ever  heard  of  in  Genoa.  In  fact,  as  I  afterward  ascer- 
tained, it  was  purely  a  fictitious  name,  and  the  whole 
transaction  was  one  of  those  Peter  Funk  swindles  so 
often  practiced  upon  the  unwary  during  this  memorable 
era  of  swindles.  I  don't  know  how  my  friend  received 
the  intelligence,  but  I  reported  it  to  him  without  a  soli- 
tary mitigating  circumstance.  Had  I  met  with  the  vile 
miscreant  who  had  imposed  upon  him,  I  should  have 
felt  bound  to  resort  to  personal  measures  of  satisfaction, 
in  consideration  of  the  fund  expended  by  my  friend  on 
the  expenses  of  this  commission  of  inquiry.  The  deeds 
were  so  admirably  drawn,  and  the  names  written  so  legi- 
bly, that  I  don't  wonder  he  was  taken  in.  In  fact,  the 
only  obstacle  to  his  scheme  of  sudden  wealth  was,  that 
there  were  no  such  mines,  and  no  such  men  as  the  alleged 
discoverers  in  existence. 

I  proceeded  the  next  day  to  Carson  City,  which  I  had 
fixed  upon  as  the  future  head-quarters  of  my  agency. 
The  distance  from  Genoa  is  fifteen  miles,  the  road  wind- 
ing around  the  base  of  the  foot-hills  most  of  the  way. 
I  was  much  impressed  with  the  marked  difference  be- 
tween the  country  on  this  side  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
range  and  the  California  side.  Here  the  mountains  were 
but  sparsely  timbered  ;  the  soil  was  poor  and  sandy, 
producing  little  else  than  stunted  sage  bushes ;  and  the 
few  scattering  farms  had  a  thriftless  and  poverty-stricken 
look,  as  if  the  task  of  cultivation  had  proved  entirely 
hopeless,  and  had  long  since  been  given  up.    Across  the 

Q 


CAB80N  CITY. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


363 


valley  toward  the  Desert,  ranges  of  mountains,  almost 
destitute  of  trees,  and  of  most  stern  and  forbidding  as- 
pect, stretched  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Carson 
River,  which  courses  through  the  plain,  presented  the 
only  pleasing  feature  in  the  scene. 

I  was  rather  agreeably  suprised  at  the  civilized  aspect 
of  Carson  City.  It  is  really  quite  a  pretty  and  thrifty 
little  town.  Situated  within  a  mile  of  the  foot-hills, 
within  reach  of  the  main  timber  region  of  the  country, 
and  well  watered  by  streams  from  the  mountains,  it  is 
rather  imposing  on  first  acquaintance ;  but  the  climate  is 
abominable,  and  not  to  be  endured.  I  know  of  none  so 
bad  except  that  of  Virginia  City,  which  is  infinitely 
worse.  The  population  was  about  twelve  or  fifteen 
hundred  at  the  time  of  my  visit.  There  was  great  spec- 
ulation in  town  lots  going  on,  a  rumor  having  come  from 
Salt  Lake  that  the  seat  of  government  of  Utah  was  about 
to  be  removed  to  Carson.  Hotels  and  stores  were  in 
progress  of  erection  all  about  the  Plaza,  but  especially 
drinking  and  gambling  saloons,  it  being  an  article  of  faith 
among  the  embryo  sovereigns  of  Utah  that  no  govern- 
ment can  be  judiciously  administered  without  plenty  of 
whisky,  and  superior  accommodations  for  "bucking  at 
monte."  I  am  not  sure  but  there  is  a  similar  feature  in 
the  California  Constitution  ;  at  least,  the  practice  is  car- 
ried on  to  some  extent  at  Sacramento  during  the  sittings 
of  the  Legislature.  Measures  of  the  most  vital  import- 
ance are  first  introduced  in  rum  cocktails,  then  steeped 
in  whisky,  after  which  they  are  engrossed  in  gin  for  a 
third  reading.  Before  the  final  vote  the  opponents  ad- 
journ to  a  game  of  poker  or  sledge,  and  upon  the  amount 
of  Champagne  furnished  on  the  occasion  by  the  respect- 
ive parties  interested  in  the  bill  depends  its  passage  or 
defeat.  It  was  said  that  Champagne  carried  one  of  the 
great  senatorial  elections  ;  but  this  has  been  denied,  and 
it  would  be  dangerous  to  insist  upon  it. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  in  Carson  an  esteemed 
friend  from  San  Francisco,  Mr.  A.  J.  Van  Winkle,  Real 


364 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


Estate  Agent,  who,  being  a  descendant  of  the  famous 
Kip  Van  Winkle,  was  thoughtful  enough  to  furnish  me 
with  a  bunk  to  sleep  in.  Warned  by  the  fate  of  his  un- 
happy ancestor,  my  friend  had  gone  briskly  into  the  land 
business,  and  now  owned  enough  of  town  lots,  of  amaz- 
ingly appreciative  value,  to  keep  any  man  awake  for  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  I  think  if  I  had  as  much  property, 
doubling  itself  up  all  the  time  like  an  acrobat  in  a  circus, 
I  wTould  never  sleep  another  wink  thinking  about  it. 

Chief  among  the  curiosities  of  Carson  City'is  the  Ter- 
ritorial Enterprise — a  newspaper  of  an  origin  long  an- 
terior to  the  mining  excitement.  I  was  introduced  to 
"the  Colonel,"  who  presides  over  the  editorial  depart- 
ment, and  found  him  uncommonly  strong  on  the  ultimate 
destiny  of  Carson.  His  office  was  located  in  a  dirty 
frame  shanty,  where,  amid  types,  rollers,  composing- 
stones,  and  general  rubbish  of  a  dark  and  literary  aspect, 
those  astounding  editorials  which  now  and  then  arouse 
the  public  mind  are  concocted.  The  Colonel  and  his 
compositors  live  in  a  sort  of  family  fashion,  entirely  free 
from  the  rigorous  etiquette  of  such  establishments  in 
New  York.  They  cook  their  own  food  in  the  composi- 
tion room  (which  is  also  the  editorial  and  press  room), 
and  being,  as  a  general  thing,  short  of  plates,  use  the 
frying-pan  in  common  for  that  purpose.  In  cases  of 
great  festivity  and  rejoicing,  when  a  subscriber  has  set- 
tled up  arrearages  or  the  cash  is  paid  down  for  a  good 
job  of  hand-bills,  the  Colonel  purchases  the  best  tender- 
loin steak  to  be  had  in  market,  and  cooks  it  with  one 
hand,  while  with  the  other  he  writes  a  letter  of  thanks 
to  the  subscriber,  or  a  puff  on  the  hand-bill.  But  the 
great  hope  upon  which  the  Colonel  feeds  his  imagination 
is  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  from  Salt  Lake 
to  Carson  City,  which  he  considers  the  proper  place. 
Mr.  Van  Winkle  is  also  of  the  same  opinion ;  and,  as  a 
general  thing,  the  proposition  is  favorably  entertained 
by  the  citizens  of  Carson. 

As  usual  in  new  countries,  a  strong  feeling  of  rivalry 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


365 


exists  between  the  Carsonites  and  the  inhabitants  of 
Virginia  City.  I  have  summed  up  the  arguments  on 
both  sides  and  reduced  them  to  the  following  pungent 
essence : 

Virginia  City — a  mud-hole;  climate,  hurricanes  and 
snow ;  water,  a  dilution  of  arsenic,  plumbago,  and  cop- 
peras ;  wood,  none  at  all  except  sage-brush ;  no  title  to 
property,  and  no  property  worth  having. 

Carson  City — a  mere  accident ;  occupation  of  the  in- 
habitants, waylaying  strangers  bound  for  Virginia ;  bus- 
iness, selling  whisky,  and  so  dull  at  that,  men  fall  asleep 
in  the  middle  of  the  street  going  from  one  groggery  to 
another ;  productions,  grass  and  weeds  on  the  Plaza. 

While  this  fight  is  going  on,  Silver  City,  which  lies 
about  midway  between  the  two,  shrugs  her  shoulders 
and  thanks  her  stars  there  can  be  no  rivalry  in  her  case. 
If  ever  there  was  a  spot  fitted  by  nature  for  a  seat  of 
government,  it  is  Silver  City — the  most  central,  the  most 
moral,  the  most  promising;  in  short,  the  only  place 
where  the  seat  of  government  can  exist  for  any  length 
of  time. 

This  Kilkenny-cat  fight  is  highly  edifying  to  a  stran- 
ger, who,  of  course,  is  expected  to  take  sides,  or  at  once 
acknowledge  himself  an  enemy.  The  result,  I  hope,  will 
be  satisfactory  and  triumphant  to  all  parties.  I  would 
suggest  that  the  government  be  split  into  three  slices, 
and  a  slice  stowed  away  under  ground  in  each  of  the 
great  cities,  so  that  it  may  permeate  the  foundations  of 
society. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

AN  INFERNAL  CITY. 

A  few  days  after  my  arrival  in  Carson  the  sky  dark- 
ened, and  we  soon  had  a  specimen  of  the  spring  weather 
of  this  region.    To  say  that  it  stormed,  snowed,  and 


366 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


rained  would  be  ridiculously  tame  in  comparison  with 
the  real  state  of  the  case.  The  wind  whistled  through 
the  thin  shanties  in  a  manner  that  left  scarcely  a  hope  of 
roof  or  frame  standing  till  night.  Through  the  crevices 
came  little  hurricanes  of  snow-drift  mixed  with  sand ; 
each  tenement  groaned  and  creaked  as  if  its  last  hour 
had  come ;  the  air  was  bitterly  cold ;  and  it  seemed,  in 
short,  as  if  the  vengeance  of  Heaven  had  been  let  loose 
on  this  desolate  and  benighted  region. 

Next  day  the  olouds  gradually  lifted  from  the  mount- 
ain tops,  and  the  sun  once  more  shone  out  bright  and 
clear.  The  snow,  which  now  covered  the  valley,  began 
to  disappear  ;  the  lowing  of  half-starved  cattle,  in  search 
of  the  few  green  patches  visible  here  and  there,  gave 
some  promise  of  life ;  but  soon  the  portentous  gusts  of 
wind  swept  down  again  from  the  canons ;  dark  clouds 
overspread  the  sky,  and  a  still  more  violent  storm  than 
on  the  preceding  day  set  in,  and  continued  without  in- 
termission all  night.  By  morning  the  whole  face  of  the 
country  was  covered  with  snow.  A  few  stragglers 
came  in  from  Woodford's,  who  reported  that  the  trail  to 
Placerville  was  covered  up  to  the  depth  of  six  or  eight 
feet,  and  was  entirely  unpracticable  for  man  or  beast. 
Apprehensions  were  felt  for  the  safety  of  the  trains  on 
the  way  through,  as  nothing  could  be  heard  from  them. 
A  large  party  had  started  out  to  open  the  trail,  but 
were  forced  back  by  the  severity  of  the  weather.  The 
snow-drifts  were  said  to  vary  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet 
in  depth. 

Here  was  a  pretty  predicament !  To  be  shut  up  in 
this  desolate  region,  where  even  the  cattle  were  dying  of 
starvation,  with  seven  or  eight  thousand  human  mouths 
to  be  fed,  and  the  stock  of  provisions  rapidly  giving  out, 
was  rather  a  serious  aspect  of  affairs.  I  do  not  know 
that  actual  starvation  could  have  resulted  for  some  time, 
certainly  not  until  what  cattle  were  alive  had  been  killed, 
and  soup  made  of  the  dead  carcasses  that  covered  the 
plain.    Even  before  resorting  to  the  latter  extremity 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


3o7 


there  were  horses,  mules,  burros,  and  dogs  on  hand, 
upon  which  the  cravings  of  hunger  might  be  appeased 
for  a  month  or  so ;  and  in  the  event  of  all  these  resources 
giving  out,  should  the  worst  come  to  the  worst,  the  few 
Digger  Indians  that  hung  around  the  settlements  might 
be  made  available  as  an  article  of  temporary  subsistence. 

tn  this  extremity,  when  considerable  suffering,  if  not 
absolute  starvation,  stared  us  in  the  face,  the  anxiety 
respecting  the  opening  of  the  trails  became  general. 
Groups  of  men  of  divers  occupations  stood  in  the  streets, 
or  on  every  little  rise  of  ground  in  the  neighborhood, 
speculating  upon  the  chances  or  peering  through  the 
gloom  in  the  hope  of  discerning  the  approach  of  some 
relief  train.  The  sugar  was  gone ;  flour  was  eighty  dol- 
lars a  sack,  and  but  little  to  be  had  at  that;  barley  was 
seventy-five  cents  a  pound,  and  hay  sixty  cents;  horses 
were  dying  for  want  of  something  to  eat ;  cigars  were 
rapidly  giving  out;  whisky  might  stand  the  pull  another 
week,  but  the  prospect  was  gloomy  of  any  thing  more 
nourishi**^. 

In  this  exciting  state  of  affairs,  when  every  brain  was 
racked  to  devise  ways  and  means  of  relief,  and  when 
hope  of  succor  was  almost  at  an  end,  a  scout  came  run- 
ning in  from  the  direction  of  the  Downerville  trail  with 
the  glorious  tidings  of  an  approaching  mule  train.  The 
taverns,  billiard  saloons,  groggeries,  and  various  stores 
were  soon  empty — every  body  rushed  down  the  street 
to  have  assurance  made  doubly  sure.  Cheer  after  cheer 
burst  from  the  elated  crowd  when  the  train  hove  in  sight. 
On  it  came — at  first  like  a  row  of  ants  creeping  down 
the  hillside;  then  nearer  and  larger,  till  the  clatter  of  the 
hoofs  and  the  rattling  of  the  packs  could  be  heard  ;  then 
the  blowing  of  the  tired  mules ;  and  at  last  the  leader, 
an  old  gray  mule,  came  staggering  wearily  along  heavily 
packed.  A  barrel  was  poised  on  his  back — doubtless  a 
barrel  of  beef,  or  it  might  be  pork,  or  bacon.  The  brand 
heaves  in  sight.  Per  Baccho  !  it  is  neither  beef,  pork, 
nor  bacon,  but  whisky — old  Bourbon  whisky !    The  next 


368 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


mule  totters  along  under  two  half  barrels.  Speculation 
is  rife.  Every  man  with  a  stomach  and  an  appetite  for 
wholesome  food  is  interested.  Pigs'  feet  perhaps,  or 
mackerel,  or,  it  may  be,  preserved  chicken  ?  But  here 
is  the  mark — brandy  y  by  the  powers  !  nothing  but  bran- 
dy !  However,  here  comes  the  third  with  a  load  of  five- 
gallon  kegs — molasses  beyond  question,  or  lard,  or  but- 
ter? Wrong  again,  gentlemen — gin,  nothing  but  gin. 
On  staggers  a  fourth,  heavily  burdened  with  more  kegs 
— sugar,  or  corn-meal,  or  preserved  apples,  I'll  bet  my 
head.  Never  bet  your  head.  It  is  nothing  but  bitters 
— Mack's  Hitters/  But  surely  the  fifth  carries  a  box  of 
crushed  sugar  on  his  back,  he  bears  himself  so  gayly  un- 
der his  burden.  And  well  he  may !  That  box  contains 
no  more  sugar  than  you  do,  my  friend ;  it  is  stuffed 
choke-full  with  decanters,  tumblers,  and  pewter  spoons. 
But  there  are  still  ten  or  fifteen  mules  more.  Surely 
there  must  be  some  provisions  in  the  train.  Nobody 
can  live  to  a  very  protracted  period  of  life  on  brandy, 
whisky,  gin,  Mack's  Bitters,  and  glass-ware.  Alas  for 
human  expectation  !  One  by  one  the  jaded  animals  pass, 
groaning  and  tottering  under  their  heavy  burdens — a 
barrel  of  rum ;  two  boxes  of  bottled  ale ;  six  crates  of 
Champagne ;  two  pipes  of  California  wine ;  a  large  crate 
of  bar  fixtures ;  and  a  dozen  boxes  of  cigars — none  of 
them  nutritious  articles  of  subsistence. 

As  if  to  enhance  our  troubles,  the  party  in  charge  of 
the  train  had  been  nearly  starved  out  in  the  mountains, 
and  now  came  in  the  very  lankest  and  hungriest  of  the 
crowd.  If  they  were  thirsty,  it  was  their  own  fault ; 
but  none  of  them  looked  as  if  they  had  suffered  in  that 
respect. 

Before  entering  into  the  responsible  duties  of  my  agen- 
cy, I  was  desirous  of  seeing  as  much  of  the  mining  re- 
gion as  possible,  and  with  this  view  took  the  stage  for 
Virginia  City.  The  most  remarkable  peculiarity  on  the 
road  was  the  driver,  whose  likeness  I  struck  in  a  happ}7 
moment  of  inspiration.    At  Silver  City,  eight  miles  from 


370 


A  PEEP  AT  WASliOE. 


Carson,  I  dismounted,  and  proceeded  the  rest  of  the  way 
on  foot.  The  road  here  becomes  rough  and  hilly,  and 
but  little  is  to  be  seen  of  the  city  except  a  few  tents  and 
board  shanties.  Half  a  mile  beyond  is  a  remarkable  gap 
cut  by  Nature  through  the  mountain,  as  if  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  giving  the  road  an  opportunity  to  visit 
Virginia  City. 

As  I  passed  through  the  Devil's  Gate  it  struck  me 
that  there  was  something  ominous  in  the  name.  "Let 
all  who  enter  here — "  But  I  had  already  reached  the 
other  side.  It  was  too  late  now  for  repentance.  I  was 
about  to  inquire  where  the  devil —  Excuse  me,  I  use 
the  word  in  no  indecorous  sense.  I  was  simply  about 
to  ask  where  he  lived,  when,  looking  up  the  road,  I  saw 
amid  the  smoke  and  din  of  shiv^ed  rocks,  where  grimy 
imps  were  at  work  blasting  for  ore,  a  string  of  adventur- 
ers laden  with  picks,  shovels,  and  crowbars ;  kegs  of 
powder,  frying-pans,  pitch-forks,  and  other  instruments 
of  torture — all  wearily  toiling  in  the  same  direction ; 
decrepit  old  men,  with  avarice  imprinted  upon  their  fur- 
rowed brows ;  Jews  and  Gentiles,  foot-weary  and  hag- 
gard ;  the  young  and  the  old,  the  strong  and  the  weak, 
all  alike  burning  with  an  unhallowed  lust  for  lucre ;  and 
then  I  shuddered  as  the  truth  flashed  upon  me  that  they 
were  going  straight  to — Virginia  City. 

Every  foot  of  the  caiion  was  claimed,  and  gangs  of 
miners  were  at  work  all  along  the  road,  digging  and 
delving  into  the  earth  like  so  many  infatuated  gophers. 
Many  of  these  unfortunate  creatures  lived  in  holes  dug 
into  the  side  of  the  hill,  and  here  and  there  a  blanket 
thrown  over  a  few  stakes  served  as  a  domicile  to  shield 
them  from  the  weather. 

At  Gold  Hill,  two  miles  beyond  the  Gate,  the  excite- 
ment was  quite  pitiable  to  behold.  Those  who  were  not 
at  work  burrowing  holes  into  the  mountain  were  gath- 
ered in  gangs  around  the  whisky  saloons,  pouring  liquid 
fire  down  their  throats,  and  swearing  all  the  time  in  a 
manner  so  utterly  reckless  as  to  satisfy  me  they  had  long 
since  bid  farewell  to  hope. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


371 


THE  PEVlL'S  GATE. 


This  district  is  said  to  be  exceedingly  rich  in  gold,  and 
I  fancy  it  may  well  be  so,  for  it  is  certainly  rich  in  noth- 
ing else.  A  more  barren -looking  and  forbidding  spot 
could  scarcely  be  found  elsewhere  on  the  face  of  the 
earth.  The  whole  aspect  of  the  country  indicates  that 
it  must  have  been  burned  up  in  fco-t  fires  many  years  ago 


A  PEELJ  AT  WASHOE. 


and  reduced  to  a  mass  of  cinders,  or  scraped  up  from  all 
the  desolate  spots  in  the  known  world,  and  thrown  over 
the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  in  a  confused  mass  to  be 
out  of  the  way.  I  do  not  wish  \o  be  understood  as 
speaking  disrespectfully  of  any  of  the  works  of  creation, 
but  it  is  inconceivable  that  this  region  should  ever  have 
been  designed  as  an  abode  for  man. 

A  short  distance  beyond  Gold  Hill  we  came  in  sight 
of  the  great  milling  capital  of  Washoe,  the  far-famed 
Virginia  City.  In  the  course  of  a  varied  existence  it 
had  been  my  fortune  to  visit  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  the 
city  of  Constantinople,  the  city  of  the  Sea,  the  City  of 
the  Dead,  the  Seven  Cities,  and  others  of  historical  ce- 
lebrity in  the  Old  World,  and  many  famous  cities  in  the 
New,  including  Port  Townsend,  Crescent  City,  Benicia, 
and  the  New  York  of  the  Pacific,  but  I  had  never  yet  be- 
held such  a  city  as  that  which  now  burst  upon  my  dis- 
tended organs  of  vision. 

On  a  slope  of  mountains  speckled  with  snow,  sage- 
bushes,  and  mounds  of  upturned  earth,  without  any  ap- 
parent beginning  or  end,  congruity  or  regard  for  the 
eternal  fitness  of  things,  lay  outspread  the  wondrous  city 
of  Virginia. 

Frame  shanties,  pitched  together  as  if  by  accident ; 
tents  of  canvas,  of  blankets,  of  brush,  of  potato-sacks  and 
old  shirts,  with  empty  whisky -barrels  for  chimneys; 
smoky  hovels  of  mud  and  stone ;  coyote  holes  in  the 
mountain  side  forcibly  seized  and  held  by  men  ;  pits  and 
shafts  w7ith  smoke  issuing  from  every  crevice ;  piles  of 
goods  and  rubbish  on  craggy  points,  in  the  hollows,  on 
the  rocks,  in  the  mud,  in  the  snow,  every  where,  scat- 
tered broadcast  in  pell-mell  confusion,  as  if  the  clouds 
had  suddenly  burst  overhead  and  rained  down  the  dregs 
of  all  the  flimsy,  rickety,  filthy  little  hovels  and  rubbish 
of  merchandise  that  had  ever  undergone  the  process  of 
evaporation  from  the  earth  since  the  days  of  Noah.  The 
intervals  of  space,  which  may  or  may  not  have  been 
streets,  were  dotted  oyer  with  human  beings  of  such 


Virginia  city. 


374 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


sort,  variety,  and  numbers,  that  the  famous  ant-hills  of 
Africa  were  as  nothing  in  the  comparison.  To  say  that 
they  were  rough,  muddy,  unkempt  and  unwashed,  would 
be  but  faintly  expressive  of  their  actual  appearance ; 
they  were  all  this  by  reason  of  exposure  to  the  weather ; 
but  they  seemed  «to  have  caught  the  very  diabolical  tint 
and  grime  of  the  whole  place.  Here  and  there,  to  be 
sure,  a  San  Francisco  dandy  of  the  "boiled  shirt"  and 
"  stove-pipe"  pattern  loomed  up  in  proud  consciousness 
of  the  triumphs  of  art  under  adverse  circumstances,  but 
they  were  merely  peacocks  in  the  barn-yard. 

A  fraction  of  the  crowd,  as  we  entered  the  precincts 
of  the  town,  were  engaged  in  a  lawsuit  relative  to  a 
question  of  title.  The  arguments  used  on  both  sides 
were  empty  whisky-bottles,  after  the  fashion  of  the  JBa- 
silinum,  or  club  law,  which,  according  to  Addison,  pre- 
vailed in  the  colleges  of  learned  men  in  former  times. 
Several  of  the  disputants  had  already  been  knocked 
down  and  convinced,  and  various  others  were  freely 
shedding  their  blood  in  the  cause  of  justice.  Even  the 
bull-terriers  took  an  active  part — or,  at  least,  a  very 
prominent  part.  The  difficulty  was  about  the  ownership 
of  a  lot,  which  had  been  staked  out  by  one  party  and 
"jumped"  by  another.  Some  two  or  three  hundred  dis- 
interested observers  stood  by,  enjoying  the  spectacle, 
several  of  them  with  their  hands  on  their  revolvers,  to  be 
ready  in  case  of  any  serious  issue ;  but  these  dangerous 
weapons  are  only  used  on  great  occasions — a  refusal  to 
drink,  or  some  illegitimate  trick  at  monte. 

Upon  fairly  reaching  what  might  be  considered  the 
centre  of  the  town,  it  was  interesting  to  observe  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  place.  Groups  of  keen  spec- 
ulators were  huddled  around  the  corners,  in  earnest  con- 
sultation about  the  rise  and  fall  of  stocks ;  rough  custom- 
ers, with  red  and  blue  flannel  shirts,  were  straggling  in 
from  the  Flowery  Diggings,  the  Desert,  and  other  rich 
points,  with  specimens  of  croppings  in  their  hands,  or 
offering  bargains  in  the  "  Rogers,"  the  "  Lady  Bryant," 


A  QUESTION  OF  TITLE. 


376 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


the  "Mammoth,"  the  "Woolly  Horse,"  and  Heaven 
knows  how  many  other  valuable  leads,  at  prices  varying 
from  ten  to  seventy-five  dollars  a  foot.  Small  knots  of 
the  knowing  ones  were  in  confidential  interchange  of 
thought  on  the  subject  of  every  other  man's  business; 
here  and  there  a  loose  man  was  caught  by  the  button, 
and  led  aside  behind  a  shanty  to  be  "  stuffed ;"  every 
body  had  some  grand  secret,  which  nobody  else  could 
find  out ;  and  the  game  of  "  dodge"  and  "  pump"  was 
universally  played.-  Jew  clothing-men  were  setting  out 
their  goods  and  chattels  in  front  of  wretched-looking 
tenements  ;  monte-dealers,  gamblers,  thieves,  cut-throats, 
and  murderers  were  mingling  miscellaneously  in  the 
dense  crowds  gathered  around  the  bars  of  the  drinking 
saloons.  Now  and  then  a  half-starved  Pah-Ute  or  Wash- 
oe Indian  came  tottering  along  under  a  heavy  press  of 
fagots  and  whisky.  On  the  main  street,  where  the  mass 
of  the  population  were  gathered,  a  jaunty  fellow  who  had 
"  made  a  good  thing  of  it"  dashed  through  the  crowds 
on  horseback,  accoutred  in  genuine  Mexican  style,  swing- 
ing his  riata  over  his  head,  and  yelling  like  a  devil  let 
loose.  All  this  time  the  wind  blew  in  terrific  gusts  from 
the  four  quarters  of  the  compass,  tearing  away  signs, 
capsizing  tents,  scattering  the  grit  from  the  gravel-banks 
with  blinding  force  in  every  body's  eyes,  and  sweeping 
furiously  around  every  crook  and  corner  in  search  of 
some  sinner  to  smite.  Never  was  such  a  wind  as  this — 
so  scathing,  so  searching,  so  given  to  penetrate  the  very 
core  of  Buffering  humanity ;  disdaining  overcoats,  and 
utterly  scornful  of  shawls  and  blankets.  It  actually 
seemed  to  double  up,  twist,  pull,  push,  and  screw  the  un- 
fortunate biped  till  his  muscles  cracked  and  his  bones 
rattled — following  him  wherever  he  sought  refuge,  pur- 
suing him  down  the  back  of  the  neck,  up  the  coat-sleeves, 
through  the  legs  of  his  pantaloons,  into  his  boots — in 
short,  it  was  the  most  villainous  and  persecuting  wind 
that  ever  blew,  and  I  boldly  protest  that  it  did  nobody 
good. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE.  377 

Yet,  in  the  midst  of  the  general  wreck  and  crash  of 
matter,  the  business  of  trading  in  claims,  "  bucking"  and 
"  bearing,"  went  on  as  if  the  zephyrs  of  Virginia  were 
as  soft  and  balmy  as  those  of  San  Francisco. 


41  MY  CLAIM,  Silt." 

This  was  surely —  No  matter;  nothing  on  earth 
could  aspire  to  competition  with  such  a  place.  It  was 
essentially  infernal  in  every  aspect,  whether  viewed  from 
the  Comstock  Ledge  or  the  summit  of  Gold  Hill.  No- 
body seemed  to  own  the  lots  except  by  right  of  posses- 
sion ;  yet  there  was  trading  in  lots  to  an  unlimited  ex- 
tent. Nobody  had  any  money,  yet  every  body  was  a 
millionaire  in  silver  claims.  Nobody  had  any  credit,  yet 
every  body  bought  thousands  of  feet  of  glittering  ore. 
Sales  were  made  in  the  Mammoth,  the  Lady  Bryant,  the 


GTS 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


Sacramento,  the  Wiunebunk,  and  the  innumerable  other 
outside  claims,"  at  the  most  astounding  figures,  but 
not  a  dime  passed  hands.  All  was  silver  under  ground, 
and  deeds  and  mortgages  on  top ;  silver,  silver  every 
where,  but  scarce  a  dollar  in  coin.  The  small  change 
had  somehow  gotten  out  of  the  hands  of  the  public  into 
the  gambling  saloons. 

Every  speck  of  ground  covered  by  canvas,  boards, 
baked  mud,  brush,  or  other  architectural  material,  was 
jammed  to  suffocation;  there  were  sleeping  houses, 
twenty  feet  by  thirty,  in  which  from  one  hundred  and 
fifty  to  two  hundred  solid  sleepers  sought  slumber  at 
night,  at  a  dollar  a  head  ;  tents,  eight  by  ten,  offering  ac- 
commodations to  the  multitude  ;  any  thing  or  any  place, 
even  a  stall  in  a  stable,  would  have  been  a  luxury. 

The  chief  hotel,  called,  if  I  remember,  the  "  Indication," 
or  the  "Hotel  de  Haystack,"  or  some  such  euphonious 
name,  professed  to  accommodate  three  hundred  live  men, 
and  it  doubtless  did  so,  for  the  floors  were  covered  from 
the  attic  to  the  solid  earth — three  hundred  human  beings 
in  a  tinder-box  not  bigger  than  a  first-class  hen-coop ! 
But  they  were  sorry-looking  sleepers  as  they  came  forth 
each  morning,  swearing  at  the  evil  genius  who  had  di- 
rected them  to  this  miserable  spot — every  man  a  dollar 
and  a  pound  of  flesh  poorer.  I  saw  some,  who  perhaps 
were  short  of  means,  take  surreptitious  naps  against  the 
posts  and  walls  in  the  bar-room,  while  they  ostensibly 
professed  to  be  mere  spectators. 

In  truth,  wherever  I  turned  there  was  much  to  confirm 
the  forebodings  with  which  I  had  entered  the  Devil's 
Gate.  The  deep  pits  on  the  hill-Bides ;  the  blasted  and 
barren  appearance  of  the  whole  country;  the  unsight- 
ly hodge-podge  of  a  town  :  the  horrible  confusion  of 
tongues  ;  the  roaring,  raving  drunkards  at  the  bar-rooms, 
swilling  fiery  liquids  from  morning  till  night ;  the  flaring 
and  flaunting  gambling-saloons,  filled  with  desperadoes 
of  the  vilest  sort ;  the  ceaseless  torrent  of  imprecations 
that  shocked  the  ear  on  every  side  ;  the  mad  specula- 


GOLD  II ILL. 


380 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


tions  and  feverish  thirst  for  gain — all  combined  to  give 
rae  a  forcible  impression  of  the  uuhallowed  character  of 
the  place. 

What  dreadful  savage  is  that  ?  I  asked,  as  a  ferocious- 
looking  monster  in  human  shape  stalked  through  the 
crowd.  Is  it — can  it  be  the  —  ?  No ;  that's  only  a  mur- 
derer. He  shot  three  men  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  will 
probably  shoot  another  before  night.  And  this  aged 
and  decrepit  man,  his  thin  locks  floating  around  his  hag- 
gard and  unshaved  face,  and  matted  with  filth  ?  That's 


SAN  FRANCISCO  SPECULATORS. 


a  speculator  from  San  Francisco.  See  how  wildly  he 
grasps  at  every  "  indication,"  as  if  he  had  a  lease  of  life 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


381 


for  a  thousand  years !  -  And  this  bull-dog  fellow,  with  a 
mutilated  face,  button-holing  every  by-passer  ?  That  fel- 
low *?  Oh,  he's  only  a  "  bummer"  in  search  of  a  cocktail. 
And  this — and  this — all  these  crazy-looking  wretches, 
running  hither  and  thither  with  hammers  and  stones  in 
their  hands,  calling  one  another  aside,  hurrying  to  the 
assay  offices,  pulling  out  papers,  exchanging  mysterious 


ASSAY  OFFICE. 


382 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


signals — who  and  what  are  all  these?  Oh,  these  are 
Washoe  millionaires.  They  are  deep  in  "  outside  claims." 
The  little  fragments  of  rock  they  carry  in  their  hands 
are  "  croppings"  and  "  indications"  from  the  "  Wake-up- 
Jake,"  "Root-Hog-or-Die,"  "  Wild-Cat,"  "Grizzly-Hill," 
u Dry-up,"  "Same  Horse,"  "Lecher-Rip,"  "You  Bet," 
"  Gouge-Eye,"  and  other  famous  ledges  and  companies, 
in  which  they  own  some  thousands  of  feet.  Hold,  good 
friend !  I  am  convinced  there  is  no  rest  for  the  wicked. 
All  night  long  these  dreadful  noises  continue ;  the  ears 
are  distracted  with  an  unintelligible  jargon  of  "  crop- 
pings," "ledges,"  "lodes,"  "leads,"  "indications,"  "feet," 
and  "strikes,"  and  the  nostrils  offended  with  foul  odors 
of  boots,  old  pipes,  and  dirty  blankets — who  can  doubt 
the  locality  ?  If  the  climate  is  more  rigorous  than  Dante 
describes  it — if  Calypso  might  search  in  vain  for  Ulysses 
in  such  a  motley  crowd — these  apparent  differences  are 
not  inconsistent  with  the  general  theory  of  changes  pro- 
duced by  American  emigration  and  the  sudden  conglom- 
eration of  such  incongruous  elements. 

I  was  grieved  and  astonished  to  find  many  friends 
here — some  of  them  gentlemen  who  had  borne  a  very 
fair  reputation  in  San  Francisco,  and  whose  unhappy  fate 
I  never  could  have  anticipated.  The  bankers  and  bro- 
kers who  had  been  cut  off,  after  a  prosperous  career  on 
Montgomery  Street,  had,  of  course,  reached  the  goal  to- 
ward which  they  had  long  been  tending ;  the  lawyers, 
who  had  set  their  unfortunate  fellow-creatures  by  the 
ears,  were  now  in  a  congenial  element ;  the  hard  traders 
and  unscrupulous  speculators,  who  had  violated  all  the 
moral  obligations  of  life  in  their  greedy  lust  for  money, 
naturally  abounded  in  large  numbers;  in  short,  it  was 
not  a  matter  of  surprise  that  justice  .had  at  length  been 
dealt  out  to  many  sinful  men.  But  when  I  recognized 
friends  whom  I  had  formerly  known  as  good  citizens, 
the  fathers  of  interesting  families,  exemplary  members 
of  society  in  San  Francisco,  I  was  profoundly  shocked. 
It  was  impossible  to  deny  that  they  must  have  been 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


383 


guilty  of  some  grievous  wickedness  to  entitle  them  to 
such  a  punishment. 

What  surprised  me  most  of  all  was  to  find  Colonel 
R  ,  to  whom  I  had  a  letter  of  introduction,  the  lead- 
ing spirit  here.  His  assistance  was  sought  by  all.  He 
was  the  best  friend  to  any  man  in  need  of  advice.  Hos- 
pitality with  him  was  a  cardinal  virtue.  He  had  turned 
out  of  his  own  snug  quarters  long  since  to  make  room 
for  the  sick  and  disabled,  and  now  slept  about  wher- 
ever he  could  find  shelter.  He  was  chief  owner  in  the 
"Comstock  Lead,"  and  showed  great  liberality  in  giving 
a  helping  hand  to  others  on  the  road  to  fortune.  In  fine, 
I  am  utterly  unable  to  determine  for  what  crime  he  was 
now  suffering  expiation.  There  was  nothing  in  his  con- 
duct that  I  could  discover  the  least  unbecoming  to  a 
good  citizen.  His  benevolence,  hospitality,  and  genial 
manners  were  worthy  any  Christian.  To  me  and  to 
many  others  he  proved  the  good  Samaritan,  and  I  still 
hesitate  to  believe  that  he  merited  the  hard  fate  now 
meted  out  to  him.  But  who  can  fathom  the  judgments 
pronounced  upon  men? 

The  bare  contemplation  of  the  miseries  suffered  by  the 
inhabitants  of  this  dreadful  place  was  enough  to  stagger 
all  convictions  of  my  identity.  Could  it  be  possible  that 
I  was  at  last  in — in  Virginia  City?  What  had  I  done 
to  bring  me  to  this  ?  In  vain  I  entered  into  a  retrospec- 
tion of  the  various  iniquities  of  my  life ;  but  I  could  hit 
upon  nothing  that  seemed  bad  enough  to  warrant  such 
a  fate.  At  length  a  withering  truth  flashed  upon  me. 
This  must  be  the  end  of  a  federal  existence!  This  must 
be  the  abode  of  ex-inspector-generals  !  It  must  be  here 
that  the  accounts  current  of  the  decapitated  are  exam- 
ined. Woe  to  the  wretch  who  failed  to  profit  by  specie 
clause  of  the  Independent  Treasury  Act  while  he  had 
official  claws  on  hand !  Such  laches  of  public  duty  can 
not  be  tolerated  even  in — Virginia  City. 

I  slept,  or  rather  tried  to  sleep,  at  one  "Zip's,"  where 
there  were  only  twenty  "bunks"  in  the  room,  and  was 


384 


A  PEE1J  AT  WASHOE. 


fortunate  in  securing  a  bunk  even  there.  But  the  great 
Macbeth  himself,  laboring  under  the  stings  of  an  evil 
conscience,  could  have  made  a  better  hand  of  sleeping 
than  I  did  at  Zip's.  It  proved  to  be  a  general  meeting- 
place  for  my  San  Francisco  friends,  and  as  they  were  all 
very  rich  in  mining  claims,  and  bent  on  getting  still  rich- 
er, they  were  continually  making  out  deeds,  examining 


A  FALL. 


titles,  trading  and  transferring  claims,  discussing  the 
purchases  and  prospects  of  the  day,  and  exhibiting  the 
most  extraordinary  "indications"  yet  discovered,  in 
which  one  or  other  of  them  held  an  interest  of  fifty  or  a 
hundred  feet,  worth,  say,  a  thousand  dollars  a  foot. 
Between  the  cat-naps  of  oblivion  that  visited  my  eyes 
there  was  a  constant  din  of  "croppings" — "feet" — "fifty 
thousand  dollars" — "struck  it  rich!" — "the  Comstock 
Ledge!"— "the  Billy  Choller  !"—"  Miller  on  the  rise!" 
— "  Mammoth  !" — "  Sacramento !" — "  Lady  Bryant !" — 
"a  thousand  feet  more  !" — "great  bargain" — "forty  dol- 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


385 


lars  a  foot !" — crash !  rip !  bang ! — "  an  earthquake !" — 
"run  for  your  lives !" 
What  the  deuce  is  the  matter  ? 

It  happened  thus  one  night.  The  wind  was  blowing 
in  terrific  gusts.  In  the  midst  of  the  general  clatter  on 
the  subject  of  croppings,  bargains,  and  indications,  down 
came  our  next  neighbor's  house  on  the  top  of  us  with  a 
terrific  crash.  For  a  moment  it  was  difficult  to  tell 
which  house  was  the  ruin.  Amid  projecting  and  shiv- 
ered planks,  the  flapping  of  canvas,  and  the  howling  of 
the  wind,  it  really  seemed  as  if  chaos  had  come  again. 
But  "  Zip's"  was  well  braced,  and  stood  the  shock  with- 
out much  damage,  a  slight  heel  and  lurch  to  leeward  be- 
ing the  chief  result.  I  could  not  help  thinking,  as  I 
turned  in  again  after  the  alarm,  that  there  could  no  lon- 
ger be  a  doubt  on  the  subject  which  had  already  occa- 
sioned me  so  many  unpleasant  reflections.  It  even 
seemed  as  if  I  smelled  something  li,ke  brimstone ;  but, 
upon  calling  to  Zip  to  know  what  was  the  matter,  he 
informed  me  that  he  was  "only  dryin'  the  boots  on  the 
stove." 


CHAPTER  V. 

SOCIETY  OF  VIRGINIA  CITY. 

Notwithstanding  the  number  of  physicians  who  had 
already  hoisted  their  "shingles,"  there  was  much  sick- 
ness in  Virginia,  owing  chiefly  to  exposure  and  dissipa- 
tion, but  in  some  measure  to  the  deleterious  quality  of 
the  water.  Nothing  more  was  wanting  to  confirm  my 
original  impressions.  The  water  was  certainly  the  worst 
ever  used  by  man.  Filtered  through  the  Comstock 
Lead,  it  carried  with  it  much  of  the  plumbago,  arsenic, 
copperas,  and  other  poisonous  minerals  alleged  to  exist 
in  that  vein.  The  citizens  of  Virginia  had  discovered 
what  they  conceived  to  be  an  infallible  way  of  "correct- 

R 


THE  COM8TOCK  LEAD. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


387 


ing  it ;"  that  is  to  say,  it  was  their  practice  to  mix  a 
spoonful  of  water  in  half  a  tumbler  of  whisky,  and  then 
drink  it.  The  whisky  was  supposed  to  neutralize  the 
bad  effects  of  the  water.  Sometimes  it  was  considered 
good  to  mix  it  with  gin.  I  was  unable  to  see  how  any 
advantage  could  be  gained  in  this  way.  The  whisky 
contained  strychnine,  oil  of  tobacco,  tarentula  juice,  and 
various  effective  poisons  of  the  same  general  nature,  in- 
cluding a  dash  of  corrosive  sublimate ;  and  the  gin  was 
manufactured  out  of  turpentine  and  whisky,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  prussic  acid  to  give  it  flavor.  For  my 
part,  I  preferred  taking  poison  in  its  least  complicated 
form,  and  therefore  adhered  to  the  water.  With  hot 
saleratus  bread,  beans  fried  in  grease,  and  such  drink  as 
this,  it  was  no  wonder  that  scores  were  taken  down  sick 
from  day  to  day. 

Sickness  is  bad  enough  at  the  best  of  times,  but  here 
the  condition  of  the  sick  was  truly  pitiable.  There  was 
scarcely  a  tenement  in  the  place  that  could  be  regarded 
as  affording  shelter  against  the  piercing  wind ;  and 
crowded  as  every  tent  and  hovel  was  to  its  utmost  capac- 
ity, it  was  hard  even  to  find  a  vacant  spot  to  lie  down, 
much  less  sleep  or  rest  in  comfort.  Many  had  come 
with  barely  means  sufficient  to  defray  their  expenses  to 
the  diggings,  in  the  confident  belief  that  they  would  im- 
mediately strike  upon  "something  rich;"  or,  if  they 
failed  in  that,  they  could  work  a  while  on  wages.  But 
the  highest  wages  here  for  common  labor  were  three 
dollars  a  day,  while  meals  were  a  dollar  each,  and  lodg- 
ings the  same.  It  was  a  favor  to  get  work  for  "  grub." 
Under  such  circumstances,  when  a  poor  fellow  fell  sick, 
his  recovery  could  only  be  regarded  as  a  matter  of  luck. 
No  record  of  the  deaths  was  kept.  The  mass  of  the 
emigration  were  strangers  to  each  other,  and  it  concern- 
ed nobody  in  particular  when  a  man  "  pegged  out,"  ex- 
cept to  put  him  in  a  hole  somewhere  out  of  the  way. 

I  soon  felt  the  bad  effects  of  the  water.  Possibly  I 
had  committed  an  error  in  not  mixing  it  with  the  other 


388 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


poisons ;  but  it  was  quite  poisonous  enough  alone  to  give 
me  violent  pains  in  the  stomach  and  a  very  severe  diar- 
rhea. At  the  same  time,  I  was  seized  with  an  acute  at- 
tack of  rheumatism  in  the  shoulder  and  neuralgic  pains 
in  the  head.  The  complication  of  miseries  which  I  now 
suffered  was  beyond  all  my  calculations  of  the  hardships 
of  mining  life.  As  yet  I  had  struck  nothing  better  than 
"  Winn's  Restaurant,"  where  I  took  my  meals.  The 
Comstock  Ledge  was  all  very  fine,  but  a  thousand  dol- 
lars a  foot  !  Who  ever  had  a  thousand  dollars  to  put 
in  a  running  foot  of  ground,  when  not  even  the  great 
Comstock  himself  could  tell  where  it  was  running  to. 
On  the  whole,  I  did  not  consider  the  prospect  cheer- 
ing. 

At  this  period  there  were  no  laws  of  any  kind  in  the 
district  for  the  preservation  of  order.  Some  regulations 
had  been  established  to  secure  the  right  of  discovery  to 
claimants,  but  they  were  loose  and  indefinite,  differing 
in  each  district  according  to  the  caprice  of  the  miners, 
and  subject  to  no  enforcement  except  that  of  the  revolv- 
er. In  some  localities  the  original  discoverer  of  a  vein 
was  entitled  to  400  running  feet;  he  could  put  down 
the  names  of  as  many  friends  as  he  chose  at  200  feet 
each.  Notice  had  to  be  recorded  at  certain  places  of 
record,  designating  the  date  and  location  of  discovery. 
All  "leads"  were  taken  up  with  their  dips,  spurs,  and  an- 
gles." But  who  was  to  judge  of  the  "dips,  spurs,  and 
angles  ?"  That  was  the  difficulty.  Every  man  ran  them 
to  suit  himself.  The  Comstock  Ledge  was  in  a  mess  of 
confusion.  The  shareholders  had  the  most  enlarged 
views  of  its  "dips,  spurs,  and  angles;"  but  those  who 
struck  croppings  above  and  below  were  equally  liberal 
in  their  notions ;  so  that,  in  fine,  every  body's  spurs  were 
running  into  every  body  else's  angles.  The  Cedar  Hill 
Company  were  spurring  the  Miller  Company;  the  Vir- 
ginia Ledge  was  spurring  the  Continuation ;  the  Dow 
Company  were  spurring  the  Billy  Choller,  and  so  on.  It 
was  a  free  fight  all  round,  in  which  the  dips,  spurs,  and 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


389 


angles  might  be  represented  thus,  after  the  pattern  of  a 
bunch  of  snakes : 


The  contention  was  very^lively.  Great  hopes  were 
entertained  that  when  Judge  Oadlebaugh  arrived  he 
would  hold  court,  and  then  there  would  be  some  hope 
of  settling  these  conflicting  claims.  I  must  confess  I 
did  not  share  in  the  opinion  that  law  would  settle  any 
dispute  in  which  silver  was  concerned.    The  Almaden 


390 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


Mine  case  is  not  yet  settled,  and  never  will  be  as  long  as 
there  are  judges  and  juries  to  sit  upon  it,  and  lawyers  to 
argue  it,  and  silver  to  pay  expenses.  Already  Virginia 
City  was  infested  with  gentlemen  of  the  bar,  thirsting 
and  hungering  for  chances  at  the  Comstock.  If  it  could 
only  be  brought  into  court,  what  a  picking  of  bones  there 
would  be ! 

When  the  snow  began  to  clear  away  there  was  no  end 
to  the  discoveries  alleged  to  be  made  every  day.  The 
Flowery  Diggings,  six  miles  below  Virginia,  were  repre- 
sented to  be  wonderfully  rich — so  rich,  indeed,  that  the 
language  of  every  speculator  who  held  a  claim  there 
partook  of  the  flowery  character  of  the  diggings.  The 
whole  country  was  staked  off  to  the  distance  of  twenty 
or  thirty  miles.  Every  hill-side  was  grubbed  open,  and 
even  the  Desert  was  pegged,  like  the  sole  of  a  boot,  with 
stakes  designating  claims.  Those  who  could  not  spare 
time  to  go  out  "prospecting"  hired  others,  or  furnished 
provisions  and  pack-mules,  and  went  shares.  If  the 
prospecting  party  struck  "any  thing  rich,"  it  was  ex- 
pected they  would  share  it  honestly ;  but  I  always  fan- 
cied they  would  find  it  more  profitable  to  hold  on  to  that, 
and  find  some  other  rich  lead  for  the  resident  partners. 

In  Virginia  City,  a  man  who  had  been  at  work  dig- 
ging a  cellar  found  rich  indications.  He  immediately 
laid  claim  to  a  whole  street  covered  with  houses.  The 
excitement  produced  by  this  "streak  of  luck"  was  per- 
fectly frantic.  Hundreds  went  to  work  grubbing  up  the 
ground  under  their  own  and  their  neighbors'  tents,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  the  whole  city  seemed  in  a  fair 
way  of  being  undermined.  The  famous  Winn,  as  I  was 
told,  struck  the  richest  lead  of  all  directly  under  his  res- 
taurant, and  was  next  day  considered  worth  a  million  of 
dollars.  The  dips,  spurs,  and  angles  of  these  various  dis- 
coveries covered  every  foot  of  ground  within  an  area  of 
six  miles.  It  was  utterly  impossible  that  a  fraction  of 
the  city  could  be  left.  Owners  of  lots  protested  in  vain. 
The  mining  laws  were  paramount  where  there  was  no 


392 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


law  at  all.  There  was  no  security  to  personal  property, 
or  even  to  persons.  He  who  turned  in  to  sleep  at  night 
might  find  himself  in  a  pit  of  silver  by  morning.  At 
least  it  was  thus  when  I  made  up  my  mind  to  escape 
from  that  delectable  region ;  and  now,  four  months  later, 
I  really  don't  know  whether  the  great  City  of  Virginia 
is  still  in  existence,  or  whether  the  inhabitants  have  not 
found  a  "deeper  deep,  still  threatening  to  devour." 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  from  the  general  character 
of  the  population,  that  Virginia  City  was  altogether  des- 
titute of  men  skilled  in  scientific  pursuits.  There  were 
few,  indeed,  who  did  not  profess  to  know  something  of 
geology ;  and  as  for  assayers  and  assay  offices,  they  were 
almost  as  numerous  as  barkeepers  and  groggeries.  A 
tent,  a  furnace,  half  a  dozen  crucibles,  a  bottle  of  acid, 
and  a  hammer,  generally  comprised  the  entire  establish- 
ment; but  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  assays  were 
always  satisfactory.  Silver,  or  indications  of  silver,  were 
sure  to  be  found  in  every  specimen.  I  am  confident 
some  of  these  learned  gentlemen  in  the  assay  business 
could  have  detected  the  precious  metals  in  an  Irish  pota- 
to or  a  round  of  cheese  for  a  reasonable  consideration. 

It  was  also  a  remarkable  peculiarity  of  the  country 
that  the  great  "  Comstock  Lead"  was  discovered  to  exist 
in  almost  every  locality,  however  remote  or  divergent 
from  the  original  direction  of  the  vein.  I  know  a  gentle- 
man who  certainly  discovered  a  continuation  of  the  Com- 
stock forty  miles  from  the  Ophir  mines,  and  at  an  angle 
of  more  than  sixty  degrees.  But  how  could  the  enter- 
prising adventurer  fail  to  hit  upon  something  rich,  when 
every  clod  of  earth  and  fragment  of  rock  contained,  ac- 
cording to  the  assays,  both  silver  and  gold  ?  There  was 
not  a  coyote  hole  in  the  ground  that  did  not  develop 
"  indications."  I  heard  of  one  lucky  fellow  who  struck 
upon  a  rich  vein,  and  organized  an  extensive  company 
on  the  strength  of  having  stumped  his  toe.  Claims  were 
even  staked  out  and  companies  organized  on  "indica- 
tions" rooted  up  by  the  squirrels  and  gophers.    If  they 


394 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


were  Dot  always  indications  of  gold  or  silver,  they  were 
sure  to  contain  copper,  lead,  or  some  other  valuable  min- 
eral— plumbago  or  iridium,  for  instance.  One  man  act- 
ually professed  to  have  discovered  "ambergris;"  but  I 
think  he  must  have  been  an  old  whaler. 

The  complications  of  ills  which  had  befallen  me  soon 
became  so  serious  that  I  resolved  to  get  away  by  hook 

or  crook,  if  it  was  possible  to  cheat  the    corporate 

authorities  of  their  dues.  I  had  not  come  there  to  enlist 
in  the  service  of  Mammon  at  such  wages. 

Bundling  up  my  pack  one  dark  morning,  I  paid  "Zip" 
the  customary  dollar,  and  while  the  evil  powers  were 
roistering  about  the  grog-shops,  taking  their  early  bit- 
ters, made  good  my  escape  from  the  accursed  place. 
Weak  as  I  was,  the  hope  of  never  seeing  it  again  gave 
me  nerve;  and  when  I  ascended  the  first  elevation  on 
the  way  to  Gold  Hill,  and  cast  a  look  back  over  the  con- 
fused mass  of  tents  and  hovels,  and  thought  of  all  I  had 
suffered  there  in  the  brief  space  of  a  few  days,  I  involun- 
tarily exclaimed,  "If  ever  I  put  foot  in  that  hole  again, 
may  the — " 

But  perhaps  I  had  better  not  use  strong  language  till 
I  once  more  get  clear  of  the  Devil's  Gate. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ESCAPE  FROM  VIRGINIA  CITY. 

As  ill  luck  would  have  it,  a  perfect  hurricane  swept 
through  the  canon  from  Gold  Hill,  sometimes  in  gusts 
so  sudden  and  violent  that  it  was  utterly  impossible  to 
make  an  inch  of  headway.  Tents  were  shivered  and 
torn  to  shreds  all  along  the  wayside.  I  saw  one  party 
sitting  at  breakfast  with  nothing  but  the  four  posts 
which  had  originally  sustained  their  tent  and  a  few  frag- 
ments of  canvas  flapping  from  them  as  a  protection 
against  the  wind.    Nothing  could  withstand  its  terrif- 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


395 


ic  force.  Cabins  with  bush  tops  were  unroofed ;  frame 
shanties  were  rent  asunder,  and  the  boards  flew  about 
like  feathers ;  the  air  was  filled  with  grit  and  drift,  strik- 
ing the  face  as  if  the  great  guns,  which  are  sometimes 
said  to  blow,  were  loaded  with  duck-shot.  Nor  did  the 
wind  confine  itself  to  one  channel.  It  ranged  up  hill  and 
down  hill,  raking  the  enemy  fore  and  aft.  In  one  place 
two  tents  were  torn  up,  as  one  might  say,  by  the  roots, 
and  carried  off  bodily  to  the  top  of  the  mountain ;  in  an- 
other, half  a  dozen  might  be  seen  traveling  down  hill,  at 
the  rate  of  forty  miles  an  hour,  toward  the  Flowery  Dig- 
gings. What  became  of  all  the  unfortunate  wretches 
who  were  thus  summarily  deprived  of  their  local  habit- 
ations I  never  learned.  Most  likely  they  sought  refuge 
in  the  coyote  holes,  which,  in  fact,  appeared  to  be  unten- 
anted ;  for  I  don't  think  coyotes  could  live  long  in  such 
a  country. 

A  short  distance  beyond  Gold  Hill  a  trail  strikes  off 
to  the  right,  which  is  said  to  cut  off  four  or  five  miles  of 
the  distance  to  Carson  City.  That  would  be  a  consider- 
able gain  to  a  traveler  making  his  escape  from  Virginia 
City,  and  whose  every  step  was  attended  with  extreme 
physical  suffering,  to  say  nothing  of  the  mental  disquie- 
tude occasioned  by  his  proximity  to  that  place.  Besides, 
it  avoided  the  "  Devil's  Gate,"  of  which  I  had  also  an  in- 
tense dread.  What  hordes  of  dark  and  inexorable  imps 
might  be  laying  in  wait  there,  with  pitchforks  to  impale 
a  poor  fellow  upon,  and  kegs  of  blasting  powder  to  blow 
him  up ;  what  accounts  might  have  to  be  rendered  of 
one's  stewardship  at  head-quarters ;  what  particular  kiud 
of  passport,  sanded  over  with  brimstone  and  stamped 
with  a  cloven  foot,  might  be  demanded,  it  was  not  possi- 
ble to  conjecture.  At  all  events,  it  was  safer  to  incur 
no  risk.  The  old  adage  of  the  "longest  way  round"  did 
not  occur  to  me. 

I  took  the  trail,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight  of  Gold 
City.  The  mountains  were  covered  with  snow,  not  very 
deep,  but  soft  and  slippery.    In  my  weak  state,  with  a 


396 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


racking  rheumatism  and  the  prostrating  effects  of  the 
arsenic  water,  the  labor  of  making  headway  against  the 
fierce  gusts  of  wind  and  keeping  the  trail  was  very  se- 
vere. Every  few  hundred  yards  I  had  to  lie  down  in 
the  snow  and  await  some  relief  from  the  paroxysms  of 
pain.  After  an  hour  or  two  I  reached  a  labyrinth  of 
hills,  in  which  the  trail  became  lost  by  the  melting  of 
the  snow.  I  still  had  some  idea  of  the  general  direction, 
and  kept  on.  My  progress,  however,  was  very  slow, 
and  at  times  so  difficult  that  it  required  considerable 
effort  of  mind  to  avoid  stopping  altogether,  and  "taking 
the  chances,"  as  they  say,  in  this  agreeable  region.  Now 
all  this  may  seem  very  absurd,  as  compared  with  the 
sufferings  endured  by  Colonel  Fremont  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  doubtless  is,  in  some  respects.  As,  for 
instance :  I  was  not  shut  up  in  a  gorge  of  the  mountains, 
a  thousand  miles  from  the  habitations  of  man  ;  I  was  not 
in  a  state  of  starvation,  though  thin  enough  for  a  starved 
man  in  all  conscience ;  I  was  not  at  all  likely  to  remain 
in  any  one  position,  however  isolated,  without  being 
"spotted"  by  some  enterprising  miner  in  search  of  indi- 
cations. But  then,  on  the  other  hand,  I  was  thoroughly 
dredged  with  arsenic,  plumbago,  copperas,  and  corrosive 
sublimate,  and  had  neither  mule  nor  "burro" — not  even 
a  woolly  horse  to  carry  me.  Does  any  body  pretend  to 
say  that  the  renowned  arctic  explorers  ever  encountered 
such  a  series  of  hardships  as  this  ?  Four  or  five  months 
of  perpetual  night,  with  the  thermometer  80°  below  zero, 
may  be  uncomfortable;  but  then  the  adventurer  in  the 
polar  regions  has  the  advantage  of  being  the  farthest 
possible  distance  from  certain  other  regions — say,  from 
Virginia  City. 

About  noon  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that,  however 
willing  the  spirit  might  be,  the  flesh  had  done  its  best, 
and  was  now  quite  used  up ;  so  I  stretched  myself  on 
the  snow  under  a  cedar  bush,  and  resolved  to  await  what 
assistance  Providence  might  send  me.  I  was  not  long 
there  when  a  voice  in  the  distance  caught  my  ear.  I 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


397 


rose  and  called.  In  a  few  minutes  a  mysterious  figure 
emerged  from  the  bushes  at  the  mouth  of  a  canon  a  few 
hundred  feet  below.  I  beckoned  to  him  to  come  up. 
The  singular  appearance  and  actions  of  the  man  attract- 
ed my  attention. 

His  face  was  nearly  black  with  dirt,  and  his  hair  was 
long  and  shaggy.  On  his  head  he  wore  a  tattered  cap, 
tied  around  the  chin  with  a  blue  cotton  handkerchief. 
A  tremendous  blue  nose,  a  pair  of  green  goggles,  and 
boots  extending  up  to  his  hips,  completed  the  oddity  of 
his  appearance.  At  first  he  approached  me  rapidly  ;  but 
at  the  distance  of  about  fifty  yards  he  halted,  as  if  uncer- 
tain what  to  do.  He  then  put  down  his  pack,  and  began 
to  search  for  something  in  the  pockets  of  his  coat — a 
knife,  perhaps,  or  a  pistol.  Could  it  be  possible  this  fel- 
low was  a  robber,  who  had  descried  me  from  the  oppo- 
site mountain,  and  was  now  bent  upon  murder  ?  If  so, 
it  would  be  as  well  to  bring  the  matter  to  an  issue  at 
once.  I  was  unarmed,  having  even  lost  my  penknife  by 
reason  of  a  rent  in  my  pocket.  There  were  desperate 
characters  in  this  wilderness,  who  would  think  nothing 
of  killing  a  man  for  his  money;  and  although  I  had  only 
about  forty  dollars  left,  that  fact  could  not  possibly  be 
known  to  this  marauder.  His  appearance,  to  be  sure, 
was  not  formidable;  but  then  one  should  not  be  too 
hasty  in  judging  by  appearances.  For  all  I  knew  he 
might  be  the — Old  Gentleman  himself  on  a  tour  of  in- 
spection from  Virginia  City. 

"  Hallo,  friend !"  said  I,  assuming  a  conciliatory  tone, 
"  where  are  you  bound  ?" 

Upon  this  he  approached  a  little  closer.  I  soon  per- 
ceived that  he  was  a  German  Jew,  who  had  either  lost 
his  way  or  was  prospecting  for  silver.  As  he  drew  near, 
he  manifested  some  signs  of  trepidation,  evidently  being 
afraid  I  would  rob  him  of  his  pack,  in  which  there  was 
probably  some  jewelry  or  old  clothes.  It  is  hardly  nec- 
essary for  me  to  say  that  I  had  no  intention  of  robbing 
him.    I  had  not  come  to  that  yet.    There  was  no  telling 


398 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


to  what  straits  I  might  be  reduced ;  but,  as  long  as  I  had 
a  dollar  in  my  pocket,  I  was  determined  to  avoid  high- 
way robbery.  Besides,  it  was  beyond  my  strength  at 
this  particular  crisis;  a  fact  which  the  Jew  seemed  to 
recognize,  for  he  now  approached  confidently.  His  first 
exclamation,  on  reaching  the  spot  where  I  stood,  was, 

"Dank  Gott !    Ish  dis  de  trail  ?" 

"Where  are  you  bound?" 

"  To  Carson.  I  pe  going  to  Carson,  and  I  pe  losht  for 
six  hours.  Mein  Gott !  It  ish  an  awful  country.  You 
know  the  way?" 

"Of  course.  You  don't  suppose  I'd  be  here  if  I  didn't 
know  the  way  ?" 

"Dat  is  zo." 

"Come  on,  friend;  I'm  going  in  that  direction.  But 
don't  walk  very  fast — I'm  sick." 
"Zo?    Was  is  de  matter?" 
"  Poisoned." 

"Mein  Gott!  mein  Gott!    Das  is  awful." 

"Very — it  makes  a  fellow  so  weak." 

"Mein  Gott !  Did  dey  poison  you  for  your  money?" 
And  here  the  Jew  put  his  hands  behind  him  to  see  if  his 
pack  was  safe. 

"Oh  no,  it  was  only  the  water— arsenic  and  copperas." 

"Zo!" 

This  explanation  apparently  relieved  him  of  a  very  un- 
pleasant train  of  thought,  for  he  now  became  quite  live- 
ly and  talkative.  As  we  trudged  along,  chatting  socia- 
bly on  various  matters  of  common  interest,  it  occurred 
to  me  from  time  to  time  that  I  had  seen  this  man's  face 
before.  The  idea  grew  upon  me.  It  was  not  a  matter 
of  particular  importance,  and  yet  I  could  not  banish  it. 
His  voice,  too,  was  familiar.  Certainly  there  was  some- 
thing about  him  that  possessed  an  uncommon  interest. 

"Friend,"  said  I,  "it  occurs  to  me  I've  seen  you  be- 
fore." 

"Zo?    I  dink  de  same." 

Some  moments  elapsed  before  I  could  fix  upon  the  oc- 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


399 


AN  OLD  FBI  END. 

casion  or  the  place.  All  at  once  the  truth  flashed  upon 
me.  It  was  Strawberry  Flat!  I  had  slept  with  the 
man!  This  was  the  identical  wretch  who  had  robbed 
me  of  my  stockings !  In  the  excitement  produced  by 
the  discovery  and  the  recollection  of  my  blistered  feet,  I 
verily  believe,  had  I  been  armed  with  a  broad-sword  or 


400 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


battle-axe,  after  the  fashion  of  Brian  de  Bois  Guilbert,  I 
would  have  cloven  him  in  twain. 

"Ha!  I  remember;  it  was  at  Strawberry !  You  slept 
with  me  one  night,"  said  I,  in  a  tone  of  suppressed  pas- 
sion. 

"Das  is  it!  Das  is  it!"  cried  the  Jew.  "I  shlept 
mit  you  at  Sthrawberry !" 

The  effrontery  of  the  villain  was  remarkable.  Proba- 
bly he  would  even  acknowledge  the  theft. 

"Friend,"  said  I,  calmly  and  deliberately,  "did  you 
miss  a  pair  of  woolen  stockings  in  the  morning  about  the 
time  you  started  ?" 

"Look  here!"  quoth  the  wretch,  suddenly  halting, 
"  was  dey  yours  ?" 

"They  were!" 

At  this  the  abominable  rascal  doubled  himself  up  as  if 
in  a  convulsion,  shook  all  over,  and  turned  almost  black 
in  the  face.    It  was  his  mode  of  laughing. 

"  Well,  I  daught  dey  wos  yours !  I  daught  to  myself, 
Mein  Gott!  how  dat  fellow  will  shwear  when  he  find 
his  sthockings  gone !" 

And  here  the  convulsions  were  so  violent  that  he  fair- 
ly rolled  over  in  the  snow,  and  kicked  as  if  in  the  ago- 
nies of  death.  It  was  doubtless  very  funny  to  rob  a  man 
of  his  valuable  property  and  cause  him  days  of  suffering 
from  blistered  feet ;  but  I  was  unable  to  see  any  wit  in 
it  till  the  Jew  regained  his  breath  and  said, 

"Vel,  vel!  I  must  sthand  dhreat  for  dat!  I  know'd 
you'd  shwear  when  you  missed  'em.  Vel,  vel!  das  is 
goot !    Here's  a  flask  of  first-rate  brandy — dhrink !" 

I  took  a  small  pull — medicinally,  of  course.  From 
that  moment  my  forgiveness  was  complete.  I  harbored 
not  a  particle  of  resentment  against  the  man,  though  I 
never  again  could  have  entertained  implicit  confidence 
in  his  integrity. 

In  due  time  we  reached  the  banks  of  Carson  River  at 
a  place  called  Dutch  John's,  distant  about  four  miles 
from  Carson  City.    I  have  an  impression  that  John  was 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


401 


an  emigrant  from  Salt  Lake.  He  had  brought  with  him 
a  woman  to  whom  he  was  "  sealed,"  and  was  the  father 
of  a  thriving  little  family  of  "  cotton-heads."  Some  of 
the  stage-drivers  who  were  in  the  habit  of  taking  a 
"smile"  at  John's  persuaded  him  that  he  was  now  among 
a  moral  and  civilized  people,  and  must  get  married.  To 
be  "sealed"  to  a  woman  was  not  enough.  He  must  be 
spliced  according  to  Church  and  State,  otherwise  he 
would  wake  up  some  fine  morning  and  find  himself  hang- 
ing to  a  tree.  John  had  heard  that  the  Californians 
were  terrible  fellows,  and  had  a  mortal  dread  of  Vigi- 
lance Committees.  The  stage-drivers  were  rather  a  clev- 
er set  of  fellows,  and  no  way  strict  in  morals ;.  but  then 
they  might  hang  him  for  fun,  and  what  would  be  fun  to 
them  would  be  death  to  him.  There  was  some  charm 
in  living  an  immoral  life,  to  be  sure,  yet  it  would  not  do 
to  enjoy  that  disreputable  course  at  the  expense  of  a 
disjointed  neck.  On  fhe  wrhole,  John  took  the  advice  of 
the  stage-drivers,  and  got  married.  Next  day  he  rode 
through  the  streets  of  Carson,  boasting  of  the  adroit 
manner  in  which  he  had  escaped  the  vengeance  of  the 
Vigilance  Committee.  I  am  happy  to  add  that  he  is 
now  a  respectable  member  of  the  community.  Not  that 
I  recommend  his  whisky.  I  consider  it  infinitely  worse 
than  any  ever  manufactured  out  of  tobacco-juice,  Cay- 
enne pepper,  and  whale-oil  at  Port  Townsend,  Washing- 
ton Territory,  where  the  next  worst  whisky  in  the  world 
is  used  as  the  common  beverage  of  the  inhabitants. 

Leaving  John's  we  came  to  the  plain.  Here  the  sand 
was  heavy,  and  the  walking  very  monotonous  and  tire- 
some. This  part  of  Carson  Valley  is  a  complete  desert. 
Scarcely  a  blade  of  grass  was  to  be  seen.  Shriveled 
sage-bushes  scattered  here  and  there  over  the  sand  were 
the  only  signs  of  vegetation.  Even  the  rabbits  and  sage- 
hens  had  abandoned  the  country.  All  the  open  spaces 
resembled  the  precincts  of  a  slaughter-house.  Cattle  lay 
dead  in  every  direction,  their  skulls,  horns,  and  carcass- 
es giving  an  exceedingly  desolate  aspect  to  the  scene. 


402 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


Near  the  river  it  was  a  perfect  mass  of  corruption. 
Hundreds  upon  hundreds  of  bleached  skeletons  and  rot- 
ting carcasses  dotted  the  banks  or  lay  in  great  mounds, 
where  they  had  gathered  for  mutual  warmth,  and  drop- 
ped down  from  sheer  starvation.  The  smell  filled  the 
air  for  miles.  Thousands  of  buzzards  had  gathered  in 
from  all  parts  to  the  great  carnival  of  flesh — presenting 
a  disgusting  spectacle  as  they  sat  gorged  and  stupefied 
on  the  foul  masses  of  carrion,  they  scarcely  deigning  to 
move  as  we  passed.  In  the  sloughs  bordering  on  the 
river,  oxen,  cows,  and  horses  were  buried  up  to  the 
necks  where  they  had  striven  to  get  to  the  water,  but, 
from  excess  of  weakness,  had  failed  to  get  back  to 
the  solid  earth.  Some  were  dead,  others  were  dying. 
Around  the  latter  the  buzzards  were  already  hover- 
ing, scarcely  awaiting  the  extinction  of  life  before  they 
plunged  in  their  ravenous  beaks  and  tore  out  the  eyes 
from  the  sockets.  On  the  dry  plain  many  hundreds  of 
cattle  had  fallen  from  absolute  starvation.  The  winter 
had  been  terribly  severe,  and  the  prolonged  snows  had 
covered  what  little  vegetation  there  was.  Those  of  the 
settlers  who  had  saved  hay  enough  for  their  stock  found 
it  more  profitable  to  sell  it  at  $300  a  ton  and  let  the 
stock  die.  Horses,  oxen,  and  cows  shared  the  same  fate. 
Many  lingered  out  the  winter  on  the  few  stunted  shrubs 
to  be  found  on  the  foot-hills,  and  died  just  as  the  grass 
began  to  appear.  It  was  a  hard  country  for  animals  of 
all  kinds.  Those  that  were  retained  for  the  transporta- 
tion of  goods  were  little  better  than  living  skeletons,  yet 
the  amount  of  labor  put  upon  them  was  extraordinary. 
In  Virginia  City  it  was  almost  impossible  to  procure  a 
grain  of  barley  for  love  or  money.  Enormous  prices 
were  offered  for  any  kind  of  horse-feed  by  men  who  had 
come  over  on  good  horses,  and  who  wished  to  keep  them 
alive.  At  the  rate  of  five  dollars  a  day  it  required  but  a 
short  time  for  the  best  horse  to  "  eat  his  head  off."  Hay 
was  sold  in  little  wisps  of  a  few  pounds  at  sixty  cents  a 
pound,  barley  at  seventy-five  cents,  and  but  little  to  be 


404 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


had  even  at  those  extravagant  rates.  A  friend  of  mine 
from  San  Francisco,  who  arrived  on  a  favorite  horse, 
could  get  nothing  in  the  way  of  feed  but  bread,  and  he 
paid  fifty  cents  a  loaf  for  a  few  scanty  loaves  about  the 
size  of  biscuits  to  keep  the  poor  animal  alive.  It  was 
truly  pitiable  to  see  fine  horses  starving  to  death.  The 
severity  of  the  weather  and  the  want  of  shelter  were 
terribly  severe  on  animals  of  every  kind.  Good  horses 
could  scarcely  be  sold  for  a  tenth  part  of  their  cost, 
though  the  distance  across  the  mountain  could  be  per- 
formed under  ordinary  circumstances  in  two  days.  But 
where  all  was  rush  and  confusion  there  was  little  time 
to  devote. to  the  calls  of  humanity.  Men  were  crazy 
after  claims.  Every  body  had  his  fortune  to  make  in  a 
few  months.  The  business  of  jockeying  had  not  grown 
into  full  vogue  except  among  a  few,  who  were  always 
willing  to  sell  at  very  high  prices  and  buy  at  very  low 
— a  remarkable  fact  connected  with  dealers  in  horseflesh. 

The  walk  across  Carson  Valley  through  the  heavy 
sand  had  exhausted  what  little  of  my  strength  remained, 
and  I  was  about  to  give  up  the  ghost  for  the  third  time, 
when  a  wagoner  from  Salt  Lake  gave  me  a  lift  on  his 
wagon  and  enabled  me  to  reach  the  town.  Here  my 
excellent  friend  Van  Winkle  gave  me  another  chance  in 
his  bunk,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  days  I  was  quite  re- 
cruited. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

MY  WASHOE  AGENCY. 

The  courteous  reader  who  has  followed  me  so  far  will 
doubtless  be  disappointed  that  I  have  given  so  little 
practical  information  about  the  mines.  Touching  that  I 
can  only  say,  as  Macaulay  said  of  Sir  Horace  Walpole, 
the  constitution  of  my  mind  is  such  that  whatever  is 
great  appears  to  me  little,  and  whatever  is  little  seems 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


405 


great.  The  serious  pursuits  of  life  I  regard  as  a  mon- 
strous absurdity  on  the  part  of  mankind,  especially  root- 
ing in  the  ground  for  money.  The  Washoe  mines  are 
nothing  more  than  squirrel-holes  on  a  large  scale,  the 
difference  being  that  squirrels  burrow  in  the  ground  be- 
cause they  live  there,  and  men  because  they  want  to  live 
somewhere  else.  I  deny  and  repudiate  the  idea  that  any 
man  really  has  any  necessity  for  money.  He  only  thinks 
he  does — which  is  a  most  unaccountable  error. 

But  then  you  may  have  some  notion  of  going  to  Wash- 
oe yourself,  just  to  try  your  luck.  Good  friend,  let  me 
advise  you — don't  go.  Stay  where  you  are.  Devote 
the  remainder  of  your  life  to  your  legitimate  business, 
your  wife,  and  your  baby.  Don't  go  to  Washoe.  If 
you  have  no  money,  or  but  little,  you  had  better  go  to — 
any  other  place.  It  is  no  retreat  for  a  poor  man.  The 
working  of  silver  mines  requires  capital.  A  poor  man 
can  not  make  wages  in  Washoe.  If  you  are  rich  and 
wish  to  speculate — a  word  in  your  ear. 


HOLDING  ON  TO  IT. 


"The  undersigned  is  prepared  to  sell  at  reasonable  prices"  [this 
I  quote  from  one  of  my  advertisements]  "valuable  claims  iri  the  fol- 
lowing companies : 


406 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


The  Dead  Broke,  The  Fool  Hardy, 

The  Rip  Snorter,  The  Ousel  Owl, 

The  Love's  Despair,  The  Grab  Game, 

The  Ragged  End,  The  Riff-Raff. 

4 '  The  titles  to  all  these  claims  are  perfect,  and  the  purchaser  of 
any  claim  will  have  no  difficulty  whatever  in  holding  on  to  it." 

I  hope  it  will  not  be  inferred  from  the  desponding 
tone  of  my  narrative  that  I  deny  the  existence  of  silver 
in  Washoe,  for  certainly  nothing  is  farther  from  my  in- 
tention. That  there  is  silver  in  the  Comstock  Lead, 
and  in  great  quantities,  is  a  well-established  fact.  How 
many  thousands  of  tons  may  be  there  it  is  impossible  for 
me  to  say,  but  there  must  be  an  immense  quantity — be- 
yond all  calculation  in  fact,  as  the  ore  is  scattered  all 
around  the  mines  in  great  heaps,  and  every  heap  is  said 
to  be  worth  a  fortune  if  it  would  only  bear  transporta- 
tion to  San  Francisco  at  an  expense  of  $600  per  ton. 
The  best  of  it  is  sorted  out  and  packed  off  on  mules 
every  day  or  two,  partly  to  get  the  silver  out  of  it,  and 
partly  to  show  the  speculators  in  San  Francisco  that  the 
mines  have  not  yet  given  out.  The  yield  per  ton  is  es- 
timated at  from  $1200  to  $2500.  During  the  time  of 
my  visit  to  the  mines  but  little  work  could  be  done  on 
account  of  the  number  of  speculators  who  were  engaged 
in  trying  to  sell  out,  few  of  them  being  disposed  to  en- 
gage in  the  slow  operation  of  mining.  Some  said  it  was 
on  account  of  the  weather,  but  I  suspect  the  weather 
had  very  little  to  do  with  it.  The  following  is  a  rough 
estimate  of  the  companies  who  claim  to  hold  in  the 
Comstock  vein : 


Billy  Choller   1820  feet. 

Hill  and  Norcross...   250  " 

Goold  and  Curry ....   300  " 

Savage   800  " 

Washoe   1200  " 

Belcher  and  Best....    223  " 

Sides  Ground   500  " 

Murphy   100  " 

Kinney   60  " 

Central   100  " 


California   250  feet, 

Welch  and  Bryan   50  " 

Central  (again)   150  " 

Ophir   200  " 

Mexican   100  " 

Continuation  of  Ophir  1200  " 

Newman,  Scott,  &  Co.    300  " 

Miller  Co   3000  " 

Bob  Allen  and  others. .   900  " 


408 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


Besides  about  forty  miles  of  outside  claims,  said  to  be 
on  a  direct  line  with  the  Comstock,  and  to  be  richer,  if 
any  thing,  than  the  original  vein. 

When  I  left,  the  prices  asked  for  a  share  in  any  of 
the  above  companies  ranged  from  $200  to  $2000  per 
running  foot,  and  it  was  alleged  that  the  purchaser  could 
follow  his  running  foot  through  all  its  dips,  spurs,  and 
angles.  Some  of  these  companies  numbered  as  high  as 
two  or  three  hundred.  I  know  a  gentleman  who  sold 
out  all  his  assets  and  invested  the  proceeds,  $800,  in  8 
inches  of  the  Central,  and  another  who  mortgaged  his 
property  to  secure  five  feet  in  the  Billy  Choller.  These 
gentlemen  are,  in  all  probability,  at  this  moment  worth 
a  million  of  dollars  each. 

In  short,  the  whole  country  looks  black,  blue,  and 
white  with  silver,  and  where  there  is  no  silver  there  are 
croppings  which  indicate  sulphurets  or  copperas. 


CROPPINGS. 


The  Flowery  Diggings  were  in  full  flower;  and  if 
they  have  since  failed  to  realize  the  expectations  that 
were  then  formed  of  them,  it  must  be  because  the  Mam- 
moth lead  gave  out,  or  Lady  Bryant  did  not  sustain  her 
reputation. 

To  the  honest  miner  I  have  a  word  to  say.    You  are 


410 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


HONEST  MLNEB. 


a  free-born  American  citizen — that  is,  unless  you  were 
born  in  Ireland,  which  is  so  much  the  better,  or  in  Ger- 
many, which  is  better  still.  You  live  by  the  sweat  of 
your  brow.  You  are  God's  noblest  work — an  honest 
man.  The  free  exercise  of  the  right  of  suffrage  is  guar- 
anteed to  you  by  the  glorious  Constitution  of  our  com- 
mon country.  Upon  your  vote  may  depend  the  fate  of 
millions  of  American  freemen,  nay,  fate  of  Freedom  it- 
self, and  the  ultimate  destiny  of  mankind.    I  do  not  ap- 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


411 


peal  to  you  on  the  present  occasion  for  any  personal  fa- 
vor. Thank  Fortune,  I  am  beyond  that.  But  in  the 
name  of  common  sense,  in  the  name  of  our  beloved  state, 
in  the  name  of  the  great  Continental  Congress,  I  do  ap- 
peal to  you,  if  you  have  a  claim  in  California,  hold  on 
to  it  !  Don't  go  pirouetting  about  the  country  in  search 
of  better  claims,  abandoning  ills  that  you  are  well  ac- 
quainted with,  and  flying  to  others  that  you  know  noth- 
ing about.  If  you  do,  you  may  find  it  "a  gloomy  pros- 
pect." 


UA  GLOOMY  PROSPECT." 


I  was  now,  so  to  say,  permanently  established  at  Car- 
son City.  In  other  words,  it  was  questionable  whether 
I  should  ever  be  able  to  get  away  without  resorting  to 
the  intervention  of  friends,  which  was  an  alternative  too 
revolting  for  human  nature  to  bear.  The  only  resource 
left  was  "The  Agency."  I  had  forgotten  all  about  it 
hitherto,  and  now  resolved  to  call  at  the  Express  office, 
and  see  what  fortune  might  be  in  store  for  me.  Surely 
the  advertisement  must  have  elicited  various  orders  of  a 
lucrative  nature.  Nor  was  I  disappointed.  A  package 
of  letters  awaited  me.    Without  violating  any  confiden- 


412 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


tial  obligations,  I  may  say,  in  general  terms,  that  the 
contents  and  my  answers  were  pretty  much  as  follows : 

A.  Wishes  to  know  what  the  prospect  would  be  in 
Washoe  for  a  young  man  of  the  medical  profession.  Has 
a  small  stock  of  drugs,  and  proposes  to  engage  in  the 
practice  of  medicine,  and  at  the  same  time  keep  a  drug 
store. 

Ans.  Doctors  are  already  a  drug  in  Washoe.  Bran- 
dy, whisky,  and  gin  are  the  only  medicines  taken.  Bring 
over  a  lot  of  good  liquors,  prescribe  them  at  two  bits  a 
dose,  and  you  will  do  well.    Charge,  $10 — please  remit. 

B.  Has  about  twenty  head  of  fine  American  cows. 
Would  like  to  sell  them,  and  wishes  a  contract  made  in 
advance. 

Ans.  Could  find  nobody  who  wanted  to  pay  cash  for 
cows.  Money  is  scarce  and  cows  are  plenty.  Have  sold 
your  cows,  however,  for  the  following  valuable  claims : 
25  feet  in  the  Root-Hog-or-Die ;  40  feet  in  the  Let-her- 
Rip ;  50  feet  in  the  Gone  Case ;  and  100  feet  in  the  You 
Bet.    Charge,  $25,  which  please  remit  by  Express. 

C.  Would  like  to  know  if  a  school  could  be  established 
in  Washoe  with  any  reasonable  prospect  of  success. 
Has  been  engaged  in  the  business  for  some  years,  and  is 
qualified  to  teach  the  ordinary  branches  of  a  good  En- 
glish education,  or,  if  desired,  Greek  and  Latin. 

Ans.  No  time  to  waste  in  learning  here,  and  no  use 
for  the  English  language,  much  less  Greek  or  Latin.  A 
pious  missionary  might  find  occupation.  One  accus- 
tomed to  mining  could  develop  what  indications  there 
are  of  a  spiritual  nature  among  the  honest  miners.  No 
charge. 

D.  Wishes  to  invest  about  $1500  in  some  good  claims. 
Has  three  or  four  friends  who  will  go  in  with  him.  Is 
willing  to  honor  a  draft  for  that  amount.  Hopes  I  will 
strike  something  rich. 

Ans.  Have  bought  a  thousand  feet  for  you  in  the  very 
best  silver  mines  yet  discovered.  They  are  all  in  and 
about  the  Devil's  Gate.    Several  of  them  are  supposed 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


413 


to  be  in  the  Comstock  Ledge.  They  are  worth  $50,000 
this  moment;  but  if  you  can  sell  them  in  S.  F.  for  an 
advance  of  $2000,  do  so  by  all  means,  as  the  silver  may 
give  out.    Charge,  $400  or  nothing. 

M  Has  been  in  bad  health  for  some  time,  and  thinks 
a  trip  across  the  mountains  would  do  him  good.  Please 
give  him  some  information  about  the  road  and  manner 
of  living.  How  about  lodgings  and  fare  ?  Is  troubled 
with  the  bronchitis,  and  wishes  to  know  how  the  climate 
would  be  likely  to  affect  it. 

Ans.  Hire  a  mule  at  Placerville,  and  if  you  are  not  too 
far  gone  the  trip  may  benefit  your  bronchial  tubes.  The 
road  is  five  feet  deep  by  130  miles  long,  and  is  composed 
chiefly  of  mountains,  snow,  and  mud.  Lodgings — from 
one  to  two  hundred  lodgers  in  each  room,  and  from  two 
to  four  bedfellows  in  each  bed.  Will  not  be  troubled 
long  with  the  bronchitis.  The  water  will  probably  make 
an  end  of  you  in  about  two  weeks.    Charge — nothing. 

F.  Is  a  lawyer  by  profession,  and  desires  to  establish 
a  business  in  some  new  country.  Thinks  there  will  be 
some  litigation  at  Washoe  in  connection  with  the  mines. 
Wishes  to  be  informed  on  that  point,  and  would  be 
obliged  for  any  general  information. 

Ans.  About  every  tenth  man  in  Washoe  is  a  lawyer. 
There  will  doubtless  be  abundance  of  litigation  there 
before  long.  Would  advise  you  to  go  to  some  other 
new  country,  say  Pike's  Peak,  for  instance.  Respecting 
things  generally,  Miller  and  Rodgers  are  going  up  and 
whisky  down.    Charge,  50  cents.    Please  remit. 

G.  Thinks  of  taking  his  family  over  to  Washoe.  How 
are  the  accommodations  for  women  and  children  ?  And 
can  servants  be  had  ? 

Ans.  Keep  on  thinking  about  that  or  something  else, 
but  don't  attempt  to  carry  your  thoughts  into  effect.  If 
you  do,  your  wife  must  wear  the — excuse  me — she  must 
wear  male  apparel.  For  accommodations,  yourself  and 
family  might  possibly  be  able  to  hire  one  bunk  two  feet 
by  six;  and  you  might  seduce  a  Digger  Indian  to  re- 


414 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


main  in  your  domestic  employ  by  giving  him  $2  in  cash 
and  a  gallon  of  whisky  per  day.    Charge — nothing. 

H.  Has  a  house  and  lot  worth  about  $10,000.  Would 
like  to  trade  it  for  some  good  mining  claims.  Can  not 
sell  the  property  for  cash  on  account  of  a  difficulty  about 
the  title ;  but  this  you  need  not  mention,  as  it  can  prob- 
ably be  adjusted  for  a  reasonable  consideration. 

Ans.  Have  traded  your  house  and  lot  for  100  feet  in 
the  Pine  Nut,  50  do.  in  the  Ousel  Owl,  50  do.  in  the 
Salmon  Tail,  25  in  the  Roaring  Jack,  and  25  in  the 
Amador.  These  are  all  good  claims,  and  it  will  make 
no  difference  about  the  title  to  your  house  and  lot,  as 
each  claim  in  the  above-mentioned  companies  has  also 
several  titles  to  it.    Charge,  $500.    Please  remit. 

T.  Is  in  the  stove  business,  and  understands  that  cast- 
iron  stoves  bring  a  high  price  in  Washoe.  Has  some 
notion  of  sending  over  a  consignment.  Please  state  ex- 
penses and  prospect  of  success. 

Ans.  Stoves  are  very  valuable  in  Washoe,  especially 
cooking-stoves.  It  costs  from  25  to  50  cents  per  pound 
to  get  them  over  on  mule-back,  at  which  prices  they  can 
be  sold  for  claims,  but  not  for  money.  If  you  have  any 
very  young  stoves  that  can  be  planted,  as  the  Schildber- 
gers  planted  the  salt,  a  good  crop  of  them  can  be  sold. 
Charge — nothing. 

J.  Is  inventor  of  a  process  for  extracting  silver  out  of 
the  crude  ore  without  smelting.  The  machinery  is  sim- 
ple, and  would  easily  bear  transportation.  Could  the 
patent  right  be  sold  in  Washoe  ? 

Ans.  Nothing  is  more  needed  here  than  just  such  an 
invention  as  yours.  Bring  it  over  by  all  means.  If  you 
can  extract  silver  out  of  the  general  average  of  the  ore 
found  here,  either  by  smelting  or  otherwise,  you  will  do 
a  splendid  business.    Charge,  $50.    Please  remit. 

K.  Understands  that  lumber  is  $300  a  thousand  in 
Virginia  City.  Can  be  delivered  at  the  wharf  in  San 
Francisco  from  the  Mendocino  Mills  for  about  $20  a 
thousand.  Would  it  be  practicable  to  get  any  quantity 
of  it  over,  so  as  to  make  the  speculation  profitable  ? 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


415 


Ans.  You  are  correctly  informed  as  to  the  value  of 
lumber  in  Washoe.  A  balloon  might  be  constructed  to 
carry  over  a  small  lot ;  but,  in  case  you  found  that  mode 
of  transportation  too  expensive,  I  know  of  no  other  way 
than  to  remove  a  portion  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mount- 
ains in  the  rear  of  Placerville,  or  run  a  tunnel  through 
underneath.  It  is  possible  that  the  price  of  labor  might 
be  an  obstacle  to  the  success  of  either  of  these  plans,  in 
which  event,  if  you  can  contract  to  put  one  board  on  the 
back  of  each  man  leaving  San  Francisco,  he  may  be  able 
to  earn  his  board,  and  you  may  be  able  to  get  your  lum- 
ber over  cheap.    Charge,  $25.    Please  remit. 

I  have  thus  given  an  average  specimen  of  the  letters 
that  came  pouring  in  upon  me  by  every  mail.  It  kept 
me  busy,  as  may  well  be  supposed,  to  attend  to  the  nu- 
merous requests  made  by  my  correspondents;  but  the 
trouble  was,  no  money  came.  There  was  a  great  deal, 
to  be  sure,  for  future  collection,  and  as  long  as  that  was 
due  it  could  not  be  lost  by  any  injudicious  speculation. 
It  was  some  consolation,  therefore,  to  reflect  upon  the 
large  amount  of  capital  that  had  accrued  in  the  various 
operations  of  the  Agency. 

At  this  crisis,  when  fortune  had  fairly  begun  to  smile, 
the  weather  changed  again,  and  for  days  it  stormed  and 
snowed  incessantly,  covering  up  the  whole  valley,  and 
blocking  up  every  trail.  A  relapse  of  rheumatism  and 
my  poison-malady  now  seized  me  with  renewed  viru- 
lence. I  had  scarcely  any  rest  by  night  or  day,  and 
soon  saw  that  to  remain  would  be  a  sure  way  of  securing 
a  claim  to  at  least  six  feet  of  ground  in  the  vicinity  of 
Carson.  The  extraordinary  number  of  persons  who  had 
invested  in  silver  mines,  and  who  were  anxious  to  sell 
out  in  San  Francisco,  suggested  the  idea  of  changing 
my  Agency  to  that  locality.  I  therefore  notified  the 
public  that  there  was  a  rare  opportunity  of  selling  out 
their  claims  to  the  best  advantage,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  I  was  freighted  down  with  "indications,"  powers 
of  attorney,  deeds,  and  bills  of  sale. 


416 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

START    FOE  HOME. 

As  soon  as  the  weather  permitted  I  set  forth  on  my 
journey  homeward,  taking  the  stage  to  Genoa,  in  the 
hope  of  finding  a  horse  or  mule  there  upon  which  to 
cross  the  mountains.  It  was  doubtful  whether  the  trail 
was  yet  open ;  but  a  thaw  had  set  in,  and  the  prospect 
was  that  it  would  be  practicable  to  get  over  in  a  few 
days.  The  stage  from  Genoa  to  Woodford's  had  been 
discontinued,  in  consequence  of  the  expense  of  feeding 
the  horses.  All  the  saddle  trains  had  left  before  the 
late  snow,  and  there  was  not  an  animal  of  any  kind  to 
be  had  except  by  purchase — an  alternation  for  which  I 
was  not  prepared. 

In  this  unfortunate  state  of  affairs  there  was  nothing 
left  but  to  try  it  again  on  foot.  It  was  with  great  diffi- 
culty that  I  could  walk  at  all,  much  less  carry  my  blank- 
ets and  the  additional  weight  of  a  heavy  bundle  of 
"croppings."  The  prospect  of  remaining  at  Genoa, 
however,  was  too  gloomy  to  be  thought  of.  So  I  sold 
my  blankets  for  a  night's  lodging,  and  set  out  the  next 
morning  for  Woodford's.  By  dint  of  labor  and  perse- 
verance I  accomplished  about  eight  miles  that  day.  It 
was  dark  night  when  I  reached  a  small  farm-house  on 
the  road-side.  Here  a  worthy  couple  lived,  who  gave 
me  comfortable  lodgings,  and  cooked  up  such  a  luxuri- 
ous repast  of  broiled  chicken,  toast,  and  tea,  that  I  de- 
termined, if  practicable,  to  remain  a  day  or  two,  in  order 
to  regain  my  strength  for  the  trip  across  the  mountain. 

The  kindness  and  hospitality  of  these  excellent  people 
had  the  desired  effect.  In  two  days  I  was  ready  to  pro- 
ceed.   Fortunately,  an  ox-wagon  was  going  to  Wood- 


418 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


ford's  for  lumber,  and  I  contracted  with  the  driver,  a 
good-humored  negro,  to  give  me  a  lift  there  for  the  sum 
of  fifty  cents. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  several  San  Francisco 
friends  on  the  road,  and  gave  them  agreeable  tidings  of 
the  mines.  The  trail  had  just  been  opened.  A  perfect 
torrent  of  adventurers  came  pouring  over,  forming  an 
almost  unbroken  line  all  the  way  from  Placerville.  By 
this  time  the  spring  was  well  advanced  and  the  excite- 
ment was  at  its  height.  The  news  from  below  was,  that 
the  whole  state  would  soon  be  depopulated.  Every 
body  was  coming — women,  children,  and  all.  Of  course 
I  wished  them  luck,  but  it  was  a  marvel  to  me  what  they 
would  do  when  they  reached  Washoe.  Already  there 
were  eight  or  ten  thousand  people  there,  and  not  one  in 
fifty  had  any  thing  to  do,  or  could  get  employment  for 
board  and  lodging.  Companies  were  leaving  every  day 
for  More's  Lake  and  Walker's  River,  and  the  probability 
was  that  there  would  be  considerable  distress,  if  not  ab- 
solute suffering.  But  it  was  useless  to  talk.  Every  ad- 
venturer must  have  a  look  at  the  diggings  for  himself. 
There  must  be  luck  in  store  for  him,  if  for  nobody  else. 
For  my  part,  I  had  taken  a  look  and  was  satisfied. 

The  ox-team  traveled  very  slowly,  so  that  there  was  a 
good  opportunity  of  seeing  people  pass  both  ways.  The 
difference  in  the  expression  of  the  incoming  and  the  out- 
going was  very  remarkable,  being  about  the  difference 
between  a  man  with  fifty  dollars  in  his  pocket  and  one 
who  wished  to  borrow  that  amount.  There  was  that 
canny  air  of  confidence  about  the  former  which  betokens 
the  possession  of  some  knowledge  touching  the  philoso- 
pher's stone  not  shared  by  mankind  generally.  About 
the  latter  there  was  a  mingled  expression  of  sadness  and 
sarcasm,  as  if  they  were  rather  inclined  to  the  opinion 
that  some  people  had  not  yet  seen  the  elephant. 

As  my  ox  carriage  crept  along  uneasily  over  the  rocky 
road,  I  was  hailed  from  behind,  "Hello  dare!  Sthop!" 
It  was  my  friend  the  Jew  again !    I  had  lost  sight  of 


420 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


him  in  Carson,  and  now,  by  some  fatality,  he  was  des- 
tined to  be  my  companion  again. 

"Mem  Gott!  I'm  tired  valking.  Can't  you  give  me 
a  lift  ?"  The  driver  was  willing  provided  I  had  no  ob- 
jection. Now  I  had  freely  forgiven  this  man  for  the  rob- 
bery of  my  stockings.  I  was  not  uncharitable  enough 
to  refuse  help  to  a  tired  wayfarer ;  yet  I  had  a  serious 
objection  to  his  company  under  existing  circumstances. 
His  boots  were  nearly  worn  out,  and  mine  had  but  re- 
cently been  purchased  in  Carson.  If  this  fellow  could 
embezzle  my  stockings  and  afterward  unblushingly  con- 
fess the  act,  what  security  could  I  have  on  the  journey 
for  the  safety  of  my  boots  ?  I  knew  if  he  once  started 
in  with  me  he  would  never  relinquish  his  claim  to  my 
company  until  we  reached  Placerville;  for  the^fellow 
was  rather  of  a  sociable  turn,  and  liked  to  talk.  It 
seemed  best,  therefore,  under  all  circumstances,  to  have 
a  distinct  understanding  at  once.  The  treaty  was  soon 
negotiated.  On  my  part  it  was  stipulated  that  Israel 
should  ride  to  Woodford's  on  the  ox  wagon  provided 
he  paid  his  own  fare ;  that  we  should  cross  the  mountain 
together  for  mutual  protection,  provided  he  would  de- 
posit in  my  hands  his  watch  or  a  $10  gold  piece  as  secu- 
rity for  the  safety  of  my  boots;  and,  finally,  that  he 
would  bind  himself  by  the  most  solemn  obligations  of 
honor  not  to  steal  both  the  security  and  the  boots ;  to 
all  of  which  the  Jew  assented  with  one  of  those  internal 
convulsions  which  betokened  great  satisfaction  in  the 
arrangement.  The  watch  was  covered  with  pewter,  as 
I  discovered  when  he  handed  it  to  me;  but  I  had  no 
doubt  it  was  worth  eight  or  ten  dollars.  Besides,  the 
treaty  made  no  mention  of  the  quality  of  the  watch.  It 
might  possibly  be  an  excellent  timepiece,  and,  at  all 
events,  seemed  to  be  worth  a  pair  of  boots. 

Toward  evening  we  arrived  at  Woodford's.  Between 
two  and  three  hundred  travelers  from  the  other  side  of 
the  mountain  had  already  gotten  in,  and  it  was  represent- 
ed that  there  was  a  line  of  pedestrians  all  the  way  over 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


421 


to  Strawberry.  The  rush  for  supper  was  tremendous. 
Not  even  the  famous  Heenan  and  Sayers  contest  could 
compare  with  it,  for  here  every  body  went  in — or  at  least 
tried  to  get  in.  At  the  sixth  round  I  succeeded  in  se- 
curing a  favorable  position,  and  when  the  battle  com- 
menced was  fortunate  enough  to  be  crushed  into  a  seat. 

In  the  way  of  sleeping  there  was  a  general  spread-out 
up  stairs.  By  assuming  a  confidential  tone  with  the 
proprietor  I  contrived  to  get  a  mattress  and  a  pair  of 
blankets.  The  Jew  slept  alongside  on  his  pack,  with  a 
covering  of  loose  coats.  Nature's  balmy  restorer  quick- 
ly put  an  end  to  all  the  troubles  of  the  day,  notwithstand- 
ing the  incessant  noise  kept  up  throughout  the  night. 

In  the  morning  I  awoke  much  refreshed.  It  was 
about  seven  o'clock,  and  time  to  start.  I  turned  to 
arouse  my  friend  Israel,  but,  to  my  surprise,  found  that 
he  had  already  taken  his  departure.  A  horrible  suspi- 
cion seized  me.  Had  he  also  taken —  Yes,  of  course ; 
my  boots  were  gone  too !  And  the  security  ?  The 
watch  ?  I  looked  under  my  pillow.  Miserable  wretch  ! 
he  had  also  taken  the  watch.  I  might  have  known  it! 
I  was  a  fool  for  trusting  him.    When  I  picked  up  the 


THE  JEW'S  BOOTS. 


422 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


old  pair  of  boots  bequeathed  to  me  as  a  token  of  remem- 
brance by  this  depraved  man — when  I  held  them  up  to 
the  light  and  examined  them  critically — when  I  reflected 
upon  the  journey  before  me,  it  was  enough  to  bring  tears 
to  the  sternest  human  eye. 

No  matter;  I  would  catch  the  dastardly  wretch  on 
the  trail.  If  ever  I  laid  hands  upon  him  again,  so  help 
me —  But  what  is  the  use  of  swearing.  No  man  ever 
caught  another  in  this  world  with  such  a  pair  of  boots 
on  his  feet — and  here  I  examined  them  again — never! 
One  might  as  well  attempt  to  walk  in  a  pair  of  condemn- 
ed fire-buckets. 

There  was  no  help  for  it  but  to  await  some  chance  of 
getting  over  on  horseback.  Fortunately,  a  saddle-train 
which  had  passed  down  to  Genoa  during  the  previous 
day  returned  a  little  after  daylight.  For  the  sum  of  $30, 
cash  in  advance,  I  secured  an  unoccupied  horse — the 
poorest  animal,  perhaps,  ever  ridden  by  mortal  man. 
There  is  no  good  reason  that  I  am  aware  of  why  people 
engaged  in  the  horse-business  should  always  select  for 
my  use  the  refuse  of  their  stock;  but  such  has  invariably 
been  their  practice.  I  have  never  yet  been  favored  with 
a  horse  that  was  not  lame,  halt,  or  blind,  or  otherwise 
physically  afflicted. 

I  had  not  ridden  more  than  a  mile  from  Woodford's 
before  I  discovered  that  the  miserable  hack  upon  which 
I  was  mounted  traveled  diagonally,  like  a  lugger  beating 
against  a  head  wind.  His  fore  feet  were  well  enough — 
they  traveled  on  the  trail ;  but  his  hind  feet  were  contin- 
ually undertaking  to  luff  up  a  little  to  windward.  When 
it  is  borne  in  mind  that  the  trail  was  over  a  bank  of  snow 
from  eight  to  ten  feet  deep,  and  not  more  than  a  foot 
wide,  the  inconvenience  of  that  mode  of  locomotion  will 
at  once  be  perceived.  Every  few  hundred  yards  the, 
hind  feet  got  off  the  trail,  and  went  down  with  a  sudden 
lurch  that  kept  me  in  constant  apprehension  of  being 
buried  alive  in  the  snow.  Another  serious  difficulty  was, 
that  my  horse,  owing  perhaps  to  the  defect  in  his  hind 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


423 


legs,  had  no  capacity  for  short  turns,  so  that  whenever 
the  trail  suddenly  diverged  from  its  direct  course,  he 
invariably  brought  up  against  a  rock,  stump,  or  bank  of 
snow. 

I  appealed  to  the  captain  or  commander  of  the  train 
to  give  me  a  better  animal,  but  he  assured  me  positively 
this  was  the  very  best  in  the  whole  lot,  and  that  I  would 
find  him  peculiarly  adapted  to  mountain  travel,  where  it 
was  often  an  advantage  for  an  animal  to  hold  on  to  an 
upper  trail  with  his  fore  feet  while  his  hind  ones  were 
searching  for  another  down  below.  In  short,  on  this  ao> 
count  solely  he  had  named  him  "  Guyascutas." 

As  there  seemed  to  be  no  way  of  impressing  the  cap- 
tain with  a  different  opinion  of  the  merits  of  Guyascutas, 
I  was  obliged  to  make  the  best  of  a  bad  bargain,  and 
jog  on  as  fast  as  spurs,  blows,  and  entreaties  could  effect 
that  result. 

In  reference  to  the  Jew,  whom  I  expected  to  overtake, 
and  for  whom  I  kept  a  sharp  look-out,  it  may  be  as  well 
to  state  at  once  that  I  never  again  put  eyes  on  him. 
Whether  he  secreted  himself  behind  some  tree  or  rock 
till  the  saddle-train  passed,  or,  overcome  by  remorse  for 
the  dastardly  act  he  had  committed,  cast  himself  head- 
long over  some  precipice,  I  have  never,  been  able  to  as- 
certain. He  is  a  miserable  wretch  at  best.  In  view  of 
the  future,  I  would  not  for  all  the  wealth  of  the  Roths- 
childs stand  in  his —  Well,  yes,  for  that  much  money  I 
might  stand  in  his  boots,  provided  no  others  were  to  be 
had  ;  but  I  should  regret  extremely  to  be  guilty  of  such 
an  act  toward  any  fellow-traveler  as  he  had  committed. 

It  was  four  o'clock  when  we  got  under  way  from  the 
Lake  House.  A  mule-driver  from  the  other  side  of  the 
divide  had  cautioned  us  against  starting.  There  had 
p  been  several  snow-slides  during  the  day,  and  it  was  only 
a  few  hours  since  the  trail  had  been  cut  through.  A 
large  train  of  mules  heavily  laden  must  now  be  on  the 
way  down  the  Grade,  and  fifteen  other  trains  had  left 
Strawberry  since  noon. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


425 


Those  who  have  passed  over  the  "  Grade"  can  best 
appreciate  our  position.  Two  of  our  horses  had  already 
died  of  starvation  and  hard  usage.  There  was  no  barley 
or  feed  of  any  kind  to  be  had  at  the  Lake  House.  The 
snow  was  rapidly  melting,  and  avalanches  might  be  ex- 
pected at  any  moment.  Only  a  day  or  two  ago  one  of 
these  fearful  slides  had  occurred,  sweeping  all  before  it. 
Two  mules  and  a  horse  were  carried  over  the  precipice 
and  dashed  to  atoms,  and  the  driver  had  barely  escaped 
with  his  life. 

It  was  considered  perilous  to  stop  on  any  part  of  the 
Grade.  The  trail  was  not  over  a  foot  wide,  being  heavi- 
ly banked  up  on  each  side  by  the  accumulated  snow. 
Passing  a  pack  train  was  very  much  like  running  a  muck. 
The  Spanish  mules  are  so  well  aware  of  their  privileges 
when  laden,  that  they  push  on  in  defiance  of  all  obsta* 
cles,  often  oversetting  the  unwary  traveler  by  main  force. 
I  was  struck  with  a  barrel  of  whisky  in  one  of  the  nar- 
row passes  some  time  previously  and  knocked  nearly 
senseless,  so  that  I  had  good  cause  to  remember  their 
prowess. 

It  was  put  to  the  vote  whether  we  should  make  the 
attempt  or  remain,  and  finally,  after  much  discussion,  re- 
ferred to  our  captain.  He  was  evidently  determined  to 
go  on  at  all  hazards,  having  a  stronger  interest  in  the 
lives  of  his  horses  than  any  of  the  party. 

At  the  word  of  command  we  mounted  and  put  spurs 
to  our  jaded  animals. 

"  Now,  boys,"  said  the  captain, "  keep  together.  Your 
lives  depend  upon  it !  Watch  out  for  the  pack  trains, 
and  when  you  see  them  coming  hang  on  to  a  wide  place ! 
Don't  come  in  contact  with  the  pack-mules,  or  you'll  go 
over  the  Grade  certain." 

'  There  was  no  need  of  caution.  Every  nerve  was 
strained  to  make  the  summit  as  soon  as  possible.  It 
should  be  mentioned  that  the  "  Grade"  is  the  Placerville 
state  road,  cut  in  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra  Neva- 
das,  and  winding  upward  around  each  rib  of  the  mount- 


426 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


ain  for  a  distance  of  two  miles.  It  was  now  washed 
away  in  many  places  by  the  melting  of  the  snow,  and 
some  of  the  bridges  across  the  ravines  were  in  a  very 
bad  condition.  From  the  first  main  elevation  there  is 
still  another  rise  of  two  or  three  miles  to  the  top  of  the 
divide,  but  this  part  is  open  and  the  ascent  is  compara- 
tively easy.  In  meeting  the  pack  trains  the  only  hope 
of  safety  is  to  make  for  a  point  where  the  road  widens. 
These  places  of  security  occur  only  three  or  four  times 
in  the  entire  ascent  of  the  Grade.  To  be  caught  between 
them  on  a  stubborn  or  unruly  horse  is  almost  certain  de- 
struction at  this  season  of  the  year. 

The  only  alternative  is  to  dismount  with  all  speed, 
wheel  your  horse  round,  and,  if  possible,  get  back  to 
some  place  of  security. 

In  about  half  an  hour  we  made  a  point  of  rocks  where 
the  trail  was  bare.  Our  captain  gave  the  order  to  dis- 
mount, and  proceeded  a  short  distance  ahead  to  recon- 
noitre. The  whole  space  occupied  by  our  twelve  horses 
and  riders  was  not  over  six  or  eight  feet  wide  by  about 
thirty  in  length.  Should  any  of  the  animals  become 
stampeded,  they  were  bound  to  go  over.  The  tracks  of 
several  which  had  recently  been  pushed  over  the  preci- 
pice by  the  pack  trains  were  still  visible.  Our  captain 
returned  presently  with  news  that  a  train  was  in  sight. 
Soon  we  heard  the  tinkling  of  the  bell  attached  to  the 
leader,  and  then  the  clattering  of  the  hoofs  as  the  mules 
descended  with  their  heavy  burdens.  One  by  one  they 
passed.  Whisky,  gin,  and  brandy  again !  Barrels,  half 
barrels,  and  kegs !  The  vaqueros  made  the  cliffs  resound 
with  their  Carambas  and  Carajas,  their  Dona  Marias  and 
Santa  Sofias !  a  language  apparently  well  understood  by 
the  mules.  This  was  a  train  of  forty  mules,  all  laden 
with  liquors  for  the  thirsty  miners.  The  vaqueros  re- 
ported another  train  within  half  a  mile  of  twenty-five 
mules,  and  others  on  the  Grade. 

After  another  train  had  passed,  our  captain  gave  the 
word  to  mount  and  "  cut  for  our  lives !"    Scarcely  five 


THE  GRADE. 


428 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


seconds  elapsed  before  we  were  all  off,  dashing  helter- 
skelter  up  the  trail.  The  horses  plunged  and  stumbled 
over  the  rocks,  slush,  and  mud  in  a  manner  truly  pitiable 
for  them  and  dangerous  for  us.  In  some  places  the  mules 
had  cut  through  for  hundreds  of  yards,  and  the  trail  was 
perfectly  honey-combed.  But  there  was  no  time  for  hu- 
manity. Dashing  the  spurs  into  the  bleeding  sides  of 
our  animals,  we  pushed  on  as  if  all  the  evil  powers  of 
Virginia  City  were  after  us. 

"  Go  it,  boys !"  our  captain  shouted ;  "  neck  or  noth- 
ing! I  see  the  train!  Two  hundred  yards  more  and 
we're  all  safe !  Caraja  !  Here's  another  train  right  on 
us!" 

It  was  a  palpable  truth:  The  pack-mules  came  lum- 
bering down  around  a  point  not  fifty  yards  from  us. 

"  Dismount  all !  Wheel !  and  cut  back  for  your  lives !" 
This  was  the  order.  In  a  moment  we  were  all  plunging 
frantically  in  the  snow.  Some  of  the  horses  were  stam- 
peded, and  one  man  had  gotten  his  riata  around  his  leg. 
The  mules  had  also  commenced  a  stampede,  when,  by 
dint  of  shouting,  plunging,  and  struggling,  we  got  clear 
of  them,  and  went  tearing  down  the  trail  to  our  old 
station.  The  train  soon  passed  us.  Whisky  again,  of 
course.  "  How  many  trains  more,  senor  ?"  to  the  vaque- 
ro.  "  Carambo  !  muchos  !  muchos  !  and  on  he  went 
laughing.  This  was  hard.  We  could  not  stand  here 
much  longer,  for  the  tremendous  bank  of  snow  above  us 
began  to  show  indications  of  breaking  away.  Two  trains 
more  passed  in  rapid  succession,  and  then  our  captain 
rode  ahead  again  to  reconnoitre.  It  was  growing  dusk. 
The  prospect  was  any  thing  but  cheering.  At  a  given 
signal  we  mounted  once  more.  Now  commenced  a  ter- 
rible race.  Heads,  necks,  legs,  or  horse-flesh  were  as 
nothing  in  the  desperate  struggle  to  reach  the  next 
point.  This  time  we  were  in  luck.  The  haven  was  at- 
tained just  soon  enough  to  avoid  a  train  of  forty  mules. 
From  the  vaquero  we  learned  that  another  was  still  on 
the  Grade.    We  might  be  able  to  pass  it,  however,  half 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


429 


a  mile  farther  on.  At  the  word  of  command  we  again 
mounted,  and  put  spurs  to  our  jaded  animals.  It  was 
not  long  before  we  heard  the  tinkling  of  a  bell.  Now 
for  it!  halt!  The  mules  were  on  us  before  we  could 
turn ;  and  here  commenced  a  scene  which  baffles  all  de- 
scription. Some  of  us  were  overturned,  horses  and  all, 
in  the  banks  of  snow.  Others  sprang  from  their  horses 
and  let  them  struggle  on  their  own  account.  All  had  to 
break  a  way  out  of  the  trail.  The  mules  were  stamped- 
ed, and  kicked,  brayed,  and  rolled  by  turns.  The  vaque- 
ros  were  in  a  perfect  frenzy  of  rage  and  terror  combined 
—  shrieking  Maladetto!  Carambo  !  and  Caraja!  till  it 
seemed  as  if  the  reverberation  must  break  loose  the  snow 
from  above,  and  send  an  avalanche  down  on  top  of  us- 
all.  Bridles  got  foul  of  stray  legs  and  jerked  the  owners 
on  their  backs ;  riatas  were  twisted  and  wound  around 
horses,  mules,  and  whisky  -  barrels ;  packs  went  rolling 
hither  and  thither;  men  and  animals  kicked  for  their 
bare  lives ;  heads,  legs,  and  bodies  were  covered  up  in 
snow-drifts;  and  nobody  knew  what  every  body  else 
was  doing,  or  what  he  was  doing  himself.  In  short,  the 
scene  was  altogether  very  lively,  and  would  have  been 
amusing  had  it  not  been  intensified  by  the  imminent  risk 
of  slipping  over  the  precipice.  It  was  at  least  a  thou- 
sand feet  down  into  Lake  Valley,  and  a  man  might  just 
as  well  be  kicked  on  the  head  by  twelve  frantic  horses 
and  twenty-five  vicious  mules  as  undertake  a  trip  down 
there  by  the  short  cut. 

All  troubles  must  end.  Ours  ended  when  the  animals 
gave  out  for  want  of  breath.  Upon  picking  up  our  scat- 
tered regiment,  with  all  arms  and  equipments  used  in 
the  melee,  we  found  the  result  as  follows :  Dead,  none ; 
wounded  by  kicks,  scratches,  sprains,  and  bruises,  six  ; 
mortally  frightened,  the  whole  party,  inclusive  of  our 
captain  ;  lost,  a  keg  of  whisky,  which  some  say  went 
down  to  Lake  Valley ;  but  I  have  my  suspicions  where 
that  keg  went,  and  how  it  was  secreted. 

From  this  point  over  the  summit  we  met  several  more 


430 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


pack  trains,  and  had  an  occasional  tumble  in  the  snow. 
Nothing  more  serious  occurred.  It  was  quite  dark  as 
we  commenced  our  descent.  The  road  here  was  a  run- 
ning stream  of  mud,  obstructed  by  slippery  rocks,  ruts, 
stumps,  and  dead  animals.  It  was  a  marvel  to  me  how 
we  ever  reached  the  bottom  without  broken  bones.  My 
horse  stumbled  about  every  hundred  yards,  but  never  fell 
more  than  three  quarters  down.  Somehow  people  rarely 
get  killed  in  this  country,  unless  shot  by  revolvers  or 
bad  whisky. 


'      CHAPTER  IX. 

ARRIVAL  IN  SAN  FRANCISCO. 

The  crowds  were  thicker  than  ever  at  Strawberry. 
From  all  accounts  the  excitement  had  only  just  com- 
menced. Five  thousand  were  represented  to  be  on  the 
road  from  the  various  diggings  throughout  California. 
I  had  bargained  for  a  bed,  and  was  enjoying  the  idea  of 
a  good  supper — the  savory  odor  of  which  came  through 
the  cracks  of  the  bar-room  door — when  our  captain  an- 
nounced that  he  could  get  no  feed  for  his  animals,  and 
we  must  ride  on  to  "  Dick's,"  fourteen  miles  more.  This 
was  pretty  tough  on  a  sick  man.  The  ride  since  morn- 
ing had  been  quite  hard  enough  to  try  the  strength  and 
temper  of  a  well  man ;  but  add  fourteen  miles  to  that,  of 
a  dark  night  and  raining  into  the  bargain,  and  the  sum 
total  is  not  agreeable.  It  was  useless  to  remonstrate. 
The  captain  was  inflexible.  He  could  not  see  his  horses 
starve.  One  was  just  giving  his  last  kick,  and  three 
more  were  about  to  "  go  in."  I  might  stay  if  I  pleased, 
suggested  the  captain,  but  the  horses  must  go  on.  As 
I  had  paid  thirty  dollars  for  the  ride,  and  had  barely 
enough  left  to  get  to  San  Francisco,  there  was  no  altern- 
ative but  to  mount.  By  this  time  three  of  the  party 
were  so  ill  as  to  be  scarcely  able  to  sit  in  their  saddles. 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


431 


It  is  wonderful  how  much  one  can  endure  when  there 
is  nobody  at  hand  to  care  a  pin  whether  he  lives  or  dies. 
I  rather  incline  to  the  opinion  that  many  people  in  this 
world  die  from  the  kindness  and  sympathy  of  friends, 
who,  if  thrown  upon  their  own  resources,  would  weather 
it  out. 

I  have  an  impressive  recollection  of  the  fourteen  miles 
from  Strawberry  to  "  Dick's."  My  horse,  Guyascutas, 
broke  down  about  half  way.  The  rest  of  the  party  push- 
ed on.  About  the  same  time  the  old  torture  of  rheum- 
atism and  neuralgia  assailed  me  in  full  force.  It  was 
pitch  dark.  There  was  no  stopping-place  nearer  than 
"  Dick's."  The  weather  was  cold,  and  a  drenching  rain 
had  now  penetrated  my  clothes  to  the  skin. 

A  distinct  recollection  of  my  feelings  a  month  ago,  as 
I  tramped  along  over  this  road  with  my  pack  on  my 
back,  afforded  me  ample  material  for  philosophical  re- 
flection. Was  it  now  somebody  else — some  decrepit  old 
fogy  who  had  lost  his  all,  and  had  nothing  more  to  ex- 
pect in  this  world  ?  Or  could  it  possibly  be  the  glowing 
enthusiast,  just  freed  from  the  trammels  of  oflice,  and  in- 
spired by  visions  of  mountain  life,  liberty,  and  wealth  ? 
If  it  was  the  same — and  there  could  hardly  be  any  mis- 
take about  it,  unless  some  mysterious  translation  of  the 
spirit  into  some  other  body  had  taken  place  at  Virginia 
Creek — the  visions  of  mountain  life,  liberty,  and  unbound- 
ed riches  were  certainly  of  a  very  different  character. 

In  addition  to  the  peculiarity  in  the  hind-quarters  of 
Guyascutas,  which  caused  him  always  to  make  two  trails 
at  the  same  time,  I  had  now  reason  to  suspect  that  he 
was  entirely  blind  of  one  eye,  and  afflicted  with  a  cata- 
ract on  the  other.  Every  hundred  yards  or  so  he  walk- 
ed off  the  road,  and  brought  up  in  some  deep  cavity  or 
against  a  pile  of  rocks.  The  mud  in  many  places  was 
up  to  his  haunches,  and  if  there  was  a  comparatively  dry 
spot  any  where  in  existence,  he  was  sure  to  avoid  it.  I 
think  he  disliked  me  on  account  of  the  spurring  I  gave 
him  on  the  Grade,  and  wanted  to  get  rid  of  me  in  some 


432 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


way ;  or  perhaps  he  considered  his  own  course  of  life  be- 
yond farther  endurance. 

The  result  of  all  the  stumbling,  and  running  into  deep 
pits,  banks  of  rock,  and  mud-holes  was,  that  I  had  to  get 
down  and  walk  the  remainder  of  the  way.  If  a  convic- 
tion had  not  taken  possession  of  my  mind  that  the  cap- 
tain would  compel  me  to  pay  for  the  horse  in  the  event 
of  failure  to  produce  him,  I  would  cheerfully  have  left 
him  to  his  fate  and  proceeded  alone ;  but,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, I  thought  it  best  to  lead  him.  At  last  the 
welcome  lights  hove  in  sight.  It  was  not  long  before  I 
was  snugly  housed  at  Dick's,  where  a  good  cup  of  tea 
brought  life  and  hope  back  again.  This,  I  may  safely 
say,  was  my  hardest  day's*  experience  of  travel  in  any 
country. 

Next  day  poor  Guyascutas  was  so  far  gone  on  his  long 
journey  that  I  had  to  leave  him  at  a  stable  on  the  road- 
side, and  proceed  on  foot.  By  night  I  was  within  six 
miles  of  Placerville.  Here  I  overtook  a  fellow-traveler, 
and  bargained  with  him  for  his  horse.  From  Placerville, 
by  stage  to  Sacramento,  the  journey  is  devoid  of  interest. 
I  arrived  at  San  Francisco  in  due  time,  a  little  the  worse 
for  the  wear,  but  still  equal  to  any  new  emergency  that 
might  arise. 

The  citizens  of  San  Francisco  were  on  the  qui  mm  for 
news  from  Washoe.  Almost  every  man  with  a  dollar  to 
spare,  and  many  who  had  nothing  to  spare,  had  invested, 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  in  claims — from  thousands  of 
feet  down  to  a  few  inches.  Conflicting  accounts  had  re- 
cently come  down.  The  public  mind  was  in  a  state  of 
feverish  excitement.  Was  Washoe  a  humbug,  or  was  it 
not  ?  Was  there  silver  there,  or  was  it  all  sham?  What 
was  the  Optiir  worth  at  this  time  ?  How  about  the  Bil- 
ly Choller  and  the  Miller  ?  These  were  but  a  few  of  the 
questions  asked  me  on  Montgomery  Street.  It  required 
an  hour  to  walk  fifty  yards,  so  great  was  the  pressure 
for  news.  Could  I  tell  any  thing  about  the  Winnemuck, 
or  the  Pine  Nut,  or  the  Rogers  ?   Did  I  happen  to  know 


434 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


what  the  Wake-up-Jake  was  worth  in  Washoe  ?  What 
about  the  Lady  Bryant  —  was  it  true  that  it  had  gone 
down  ?  Whereabouts  was  the  Jim  Crack  located,  and 
what  was  Dead  Broke  worth  ?  In  short,  I  looked  over 
more  deeds,  and  answered  more  questions  of  a  varied 
and  indefinite  nature,  in  the  brief  space  of  three  days, 
than  had  ever  been  put  to  and  answered  by  any  one  man 
before. 

The  editor  of  the  Bulletin,  who  had  made  a  flying  visit 
to  Washoe,  and  in  whose  company  I  had  traveled  down 
from  Placerville,  commenced  about  this  time  a  series  of 
articles,  in  which  he  told  some  startling  truths.  Base 
metal  had  been  found  in  the  Comstock ;  to  what  extent 
it  prevailed  nobody  could  tell.  If  the  Comstock  should 
prove  to  be  worthless,  what  hope  was  there  for  the 
"  outside  claims." 

The  news  spread  like  wild-fire.  A  panic  seized  upon 
the  multitudes  whose  funds  were  invested  in  Washoe. 
Men  hurried  about  the  streets  in  search  of  purchasers  of 
Washoe  stock;  but  purchasers  were  nowhere  to  be 
found.  Every  body  wanted  to  sell.  The  Comstock  sud- 
denly fell  from  one  thousand  down  to  five  dollars  per 
foot,  and  no  sales  at  that.  Miller  went  down  fifty  per 
cent. ;  and  the  Great  Outside  could  scarcely  be  given 
away  at  any. price!  Alas!  had  it  come  to  this?  The 
gigantic  Washoe  speculation  "gone  in,"  and  none  so 
poor  to  do  it  reverence ! 

Softly !  A  word  in  your  ear,  reader !  They  are  only 
"bucking  it  down"  for  purposes  of  speculation.  The 
keen  men  who  know  a  thing  or  two  are  buying  up  se- 
cretly. The  silver  is  there,  and  it  must  come  out.  All 
this  cry  about  base  metal  is  "  a  dodge"  to  frighten  the 
timid.  If  you  have  claims,  hold  on  to  them ;  they  will 
be  up  again  presently. 

For  my  part,  I  thought  it  best  to  leave  San  Francisco 
before  my  correspondents — for  whom,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, I  had  executed  some  business  in  Washoe — re- 
tracted their  good  opinion  of  my  sagacity.    There  was 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


no  chance  at  this  crisis  to  sell  the  various  claims  with 
which  I  had  been  commissioned  at  Carson  City.  Capi- 
talists were  short  of  funds.  The  money-market  was  la- 
boring under  a  depression.  The  liver  of  the  body  politic 
was  in  a  state  of  collapse.  I  went  to  the  principal  bank- 
ers, but  failed  to  accomplish  any  thing.  They  even  re- 
fused to  lend  money  on  unquestionable  security. 

In  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  I  determined  to  visit 
Europe.  If  the  moneyed  men  of  the  Old  World  could 
only  be  satisfied  of  the  extent,  variety,  and  magnificence 
of  the  investments  to  be  made  in  the  New,  they  would 
not  hesitate  to  open  negotiations  with  an  agent  direct 
from  Washoe. 

Frankfort-on-the-Main,  January,  1861. 
You  will  perceive  from  my  address,  most  esteemed 
reader,  that  I  am  now  established  at  one  of  the  best 
points  for  pecuniary  transactions  on  the  Continent  of 
Europe.  I  have  seen  many  of  the  wealthy  burghers  of 
Frankfort,  and  am  pleased  to  say  that  they  manifest  a 
very  friendly  disposition.  As  yet  they  do  not  quite  un- 
derstand the  nature  of  the  proposed  securities,  but  I 
have  great  confidence  in  their  sagacity.  My  negotia- 
tions with  the  Rothschilds  have  been  of  the  most  amica- 
ble character.  They  have  gone  so  far  as  to  express  the 
opinion  that  Washoe  must  be  a  remarkable  country ; 
and  yesterday,  when  I  proposed  to  sell  them  fifty  feet  in 
the  Gone  Case,  and  forty  in  the  Roaring  Grizzly,  for  the 
sum  of  one  hundred  thousand  florins,  they  smiled  so  po- 
litely, and  withal  looked  so  completely  puzzled,  that  I 
considered  it  best  not  to  force  an  immediate  answer. 
You  are  aware,  of  course,  that  in  important  negotiations 
of  this  kind  it  is  judicious  to  let  the  opposite  party  sleep 
a  night  or  two  over  your  proposition.  That  the  Roths- 
childs are  at  present  a  little  wary  of  any  investment  in 
Washoe  is  quite  natural.  The  nomenclature  is  new  to 
them.  They  have  never  before  heard  of  Roaring  Griz- 
zly and  Gone  Case  silver  mines.  But  if  that  should 
prove  to  be  their  only  objection,  I  have  no  doubt  they 


436 


A  PEEP  AT  WASHOE. 


will  ultimately  purchase  to  the  extent  of  several  millions. 
If  they  do,  I  shall  be  happy  to  negotiate  further  sales  for 
a  reasonable  commission,  to  be  paid  strictly  in  advance. 
My  publishers  will,  I  am  confident,  forward  any  letter  to 
my  address. 


READING  EXTRA  BULLETIN. 


THE  END. 


